Correlations

Question 1

What is a correlation?

Answer 1

A mathematical technique to analyse the association between two variables called co-variables

Question 2

How are co-variables plotted?

Answer 2

On a scatter gram

Question 3

What are the different types of correlation?

Answer 3

Negative, positive, zero

Question 4

What is a negative correlation?

Answer 4

When one co-variable increases or decreases the other does the opposite

Question 5

What is a positive correlation?

Answer 5

When one co-variable increases or decreases the other does the same

Question 6

What is a zero correlation?

Answer 6

There is no relationship between the co-variables

Question 7

What are intervening variables?

Answer 7

Other variables which may have an effect on the co-variables

Question 8

What are the two strengths of using a correlation?

Answer 8

1. More ethical way of investigating some topics as it does not involve manipulation of variables
2. Useful preliminary tool to justify further investigations using an experiment

Question 9

What are the three limitations of using a correlation?

Answer 9

1. Cannot demonstrate a cause and effect relationship
2. Can lead to misinterpretation- represented as facts which they may not be
3. Intervening variables

Question 10

What is a correlation coefficient?

Answer 10

A member between -1 and +1 that tells us the strength and direction of the relationship between the co-variables

Question 11

What does the sign before the correlation coefficient tell us?

Answer 11

The direction of the relationship between the co-variables (positive or negative)