Correlational Research Flashcards
What does correlational research investigate?
Investigates the link or relationship between two variables
Why does correlational research produce quantitative data?
Produces quantitative data because variables are measured rather than manipulated
What does a correlational design involve?
Involves comparing data from the same participants by taking two measures from each individual
once the two scores are obtained from enough participants the relationship between the scores is tested to see whether there is a positive, negative or no correlation
When can correlations said to be strong?
Said to be strong if the plots are close with few outliers
When are correlations weak?
Weak if they cluster loosely
Overall what can a scatter diagram suggest?
Can suggest whether there is a correlation or not, if there is one if it is positive or negative and how strong the correlation is
What is a positive correlation?
When as one score rises the other rises as well
e.g. as the number of hours spent revising rises so does the percentage scored on the exam
What is a negative correlation?
When as one score rises the other falls
e.g. the higher the age, the lower the number of items recalled from a list
What are the strengths of correlational research?
Good starting point for further research
more ethical approach to studying human behaviour
no participant variables
What are the weaknesses of correlational research?
Only shows a relationships
correlation may be affected by other variables
validity may be questionable
