Correlations

Question 1

What is a correlation

Answer 1

is a technique for analysing the strength of the relationship between two quantitative variables, known as co-variables

Question 2

what does a positive correlation mean

Answer 2

as one variable increases so does the other

Question 3

what does a negative correlation mean

Answer 3

as one variable increases the other deceeases

Question 4

what does no correlation mean

Answer 4

there is no relationship between the two variables

Question 5

The strength of correlations can be between

Answer 5

-1 (strong negative) and +1 (strong positive)
0 means no correlation

Question 6

What is the strength of the correlation known as

Answer 6

the correlation coefficient

Question 7

Advantages of correlations

Answer 7

1) Correlations allow psychologists to establish the strength of the relationship between two variables
and measure it precisely

2) Correlations allow researchers to investigate things that could not be manipulated experimentally
for ethical or practical reasons.

3) Once a correlation has been conducted predictions can be made about one of the variables based
on what is known about the other variable.

Question 8

Disadvantages of correlations

Answer 8

1) Correlational analysis cannot demonstrate cause and effect as we cannot tell which variable influences the other

2) Even if there is a correlation between two variables it may be the case that the variables are not actually
related but that there is a third unknown variable which influences both.

3) Correlations can only measure linear relationships and does not detect curvilinear relationships.