Correlational Studies

Question 1

What is a correlation?

Answer 1

a statistical technique used to measure the strength and direction of the relationship between two co-variables.

Question 2

What is a positive correlation?

Answer 2

means that high/low values of one variable are associated with high/low values of the other

Question 3

What is a negative correlation?

Answer 3

a negative correlation means that high values on one variable are associated with low values on the other

Question 4

What us a correlation coefficient?

Answer 4

a numerical value ranging from -1 to +1 (either be positive, negative or have no correlation)

Question 5

What does a directional hypothesis predict in terms of correlations?

Answer 5

that there will be a correlation between 2 sets of scores and must have either the word ‘positive’ or ‘negative’ in it

Question 6

What does a non-directional hypothesis predict in terms of correlations?

Answer 6

that there will be 2 sets of scores but doesn’t say any more than that

Question 7

What does a Null hypothesis predict in terms of correlations?

Answer 7

that there will not be a correlation between 2 sets of scores

Question 8

What are the strengths of correlational analysis?

Answer 8

high levels of control

can be used to see the type and strength of relationship between 2 variables

correlation studies may show where more experimental cause and effect studies are needed

Question 9

What are the weaknesses of correlational analysis?

Answer 9

lacks ecological validity and mundane realism

establishes relationships only, not cause and effect

relationships may be due to other variables