L4: Correlations Flashcards
1
Q
What is a correlation?
A
A technique analysing the strength of the relationship between two co-variables
2
Q
What are the possible analysis?
A
- Positive: as one increases, the other increases
- Negative: as one increases, the other decreases
- No correlation: no relationship between variables
3
Q
Describe the strength of correlations
A
- between -1 and +1
- strong correlation is closed to +1
- 0 means no correlation
- negative correlation is close to -1
- strength of correlation is known as correlation coefficient
4
Q
What are the advantages of correlations?
A
- Allows determination of strength between two variables precisely
- Allows researchers to investigate things that could not be manipulated experimentally (unethical/impractical)
- Predictions can be made about one of the variables
5
Q
What are the disadvantages of correlations?
A
- cannot demonstrate cause and effect
- Maybe a third variable affects both
- does not detect curvilinear relationships
