correlations

Question 1

What is a correlation?

Answer 1

a mathematical technique that is used to investigate whether there is an association between two co-variables.

Question 2

What is meant by co-variable?

Answer 2

The variables which are being investigated. They are not referred to as dependent and independent because they are not

Question 3

What is a positive correlation?

Answer 3

as one variable increases, the other also increases

Question 4

What is a negative correlation?

Answer 4

as one variable increases, the other decreases

Question 5

What is a ‘zero’ correlation?

Answer 5

no relationship is found between variables

Question 6

What is meant by a correlational coefficient?

Answer 6

A correlational coefficient indicates a measure of direction and strength of a relationship between two variables

Question 7

What is the number range of a coefficient?

Answer 7

ranges from -1 to +1 (-1 being a negative correlation and +1 being a positive correlation. The closer the correlation is to 0, the weaker the relationship is.

Question 8

What are scattergrams used for?

Answer 8

scattergrams present correlational data graphically

Question 9

What helps to test for a significant coefficient?

Answer 9

Spearmans Rho

Question 10

What are two strengths of correlations?

Answer 10

-allow us to investigate behaviors that researchers can’t practically or ethically manipulate in an experimental condition
-correlations are a good ‘starting point’ for research; if there is a relationship found the researcher may continue with their study

Question 11

What are two weaknesses of correlations?

Answer 11

-only work for linear relationships, can’t measure curvilinear relationships
-researcher is not manipulating anything and so cannot establish a cause and effect relationship