Ch 2 (d) Correlations

Question 1

A correlation coefficient is a measure of the

Answer 1

direction and strength of the relationship between two variables.

Question 1

Correlational research is most useful for purposes of

Answer 1

prediction.

Question 2

Which of the following statistical measures is most helpful for indicating the extent to which high school grades predict college grades?

Answer 2

correlation coefficient

Question 3

To graphically represent the correlation between two variables, researchers often construct a

Answer 3

scatterplot

Question 4

If psychologists discovered that wealthy people are less satisfied with their marriages than poor people are, this would indicate that wealth and marital satisfaction are

Answer 4

negatively correlated.

Question 5

If college graduates typically earn more money than high school graduates, this would indicate that level of education and income are

Answer 5

positively correlated.

Question 6

If the correlation between the physical weight and reading ability of children is +0.85, this would indicate tha

Answer 6

better reading ability is associated with greater physical weight among children

Question 7

Which of the following correlations between self-esteem and body weight would enable you to most accurately predict body weight from knowledge of level of self-esteem?
 +0.60
 +0.01
 –0.10
 –0.06
 0.00

Answer 7

+ .60

Question 8

Which of the following correlation coefficients expresses the weakest degree of relationship between two variables?
 –0.12
 +1.00
 –0.99
 +0.25
 –0.50

Answer 8

• .12

Question 9

Which of the following correlations between annual income and education level would best enable you to predict annual income on the basis of level of education?
 +0.05
 –0.01
 +0.10
 +0.50
 –0.001

Answer 9

+0.50

Question 10

Which of the following correlation coefficients expresses the strongest degree of relationship between two variables?
 +0.10
 –0.67
 0.00
 –0.10
 +0.59

Answer 10

–0.67

Question 11

To determine whether the strength of people’s self-esteem is related to their income levels, researchers would most likely make use of

Answer 11

correlational research

Question 12

To discover the extent to which economic status can be used to predict political preferences, researchers are most likely to use

Answer 12

correlational measures

Question 13

An extensive survey revealed that children with relatively high self-esteem tend to picture God as kind and loving, whereas those with lower self-esteem tend to perceive God as angry. The researchers concluded that the children’s self-esteem had apparently influenced their views of God. This conclusion best illustrates the danger of

Answer 13

assuming that correlation proves causation

Question 14

Following the scientific discovery that a specific brain structure is significantly larger in violent individuals than in those who are nonviolent, a news headline announced: “Enlarged Brain Structure Triggers Violent Acts.” The headline writer should most clearly be warned about the dangers of

Answer 14

confusing correlation with causation

Question 15

If psychologists discovered that more intelligent parents have smarter children than less intelligent parents, this would demonstrate that

Answer 15

the intelligence of parents and children is positively correlated.

Question 16

Which of the following statements is most correct about the relationship between correlation and causation?

Answer 16

Correlation indicates the possibility of a causal relationship, but it does not prove causation

Question 17

Which of the following is the best definition of illusory correlation?

Answer 17

a perceived but nonexistent correlation

Question 18

The belief that weather conditions signal the onset of arthritis pain best illustrates

Answer 18

an illusory correlation

Question 19

The sequential occurrence of two highly unusual events is most likely to contribute to

Answer 19

an illusory correlation