Lecture 2

Question 1

What is the correlational method?

Answer 1

Research technique in which 2 (or more) variables are measured to determine if they relate in a systematic way (not manipulated)

Question 2

What is a correlation?

Answer 2

How well can one variable be predicted by another

Question 3

What is r?

Answer 3

Statistic indicating the strength and direction of the relationship

Question 4

What numbers can r fall between?

Answer 4

+1.00 and -1.00 (sign=direction, number =strength)

Question 5

What does a correlation of 0 indicate?

Answer 5

No relationship at all. Correlation line of best fit does not exist.

Question 6

What is considered a strong, moderate, and weak correlation?

Answer 6

Strong: .3 or .4
Moderate: .3-.2
Weak: .2-.1

Question 7

What does it mean when you have a perfect correlation?

Answer 7

If iI know your score on one variable, I can guess with absolute certainty your score on another (line of best fit goes through every data point)

Question 8

Why does correlation not imply causation?

Answer 8

1) Directionality problem

2) third variable problem

Question 9

What is the directionality problem?

Answer 9

It is uncertain which variable causes change in another (does A cause B? Or does B cause A?)

Question 10

What is the third variable problem?

Answer 10

Correlated variables may both be caused by another spurious (artificial) correlation

Question 11

Why do we do correlational research?

Answer 11

1) Can’t ethically or practically control some variables (ex: height, religious affiliction, intelligence, personality)
2) Even without causation, can still use correlations to make predictions