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RESEARCH METHODS + STATS > LECTURE 8 > Flashcards

LECTURE 8 Flashcards

1
Q

What is correlational analysis?

A

A method to examine associations between two variables.

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2
Q

What is a scatterplot?

A

A graph showing associations between two variables with each dot representing a data point.

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3
Q

What is the direction of association?

A

Indicates whether the variables are positively or negatively related.

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4
Q

What is a positive association?

A

Larger values of one variable are associated with larger values of the other.

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5
Q

What is a negative association?

A

Larger values of one variable are associated with smaller values of the other.

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6
Q

What is the strength of an association?

A

Reflects how much knowing one variable helps predict the other.

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7
Q

What does no association mean?

A

Knowing one variable gives no information about the other

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8
Q

What is the shape of an association?

A

The pattern of the relationship, such as linear, U-shaped, or inverted U-shaped.

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9
Q

What are correlation coefficients?

A

Descriptive statistics that describe the strength and direction of an association.

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10
Q

What is the Pearson correlation coefficient used for?

A

Linear associations between normally distributed interval or ratio variables.

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11
Q

What is the Spearman correlation coefficient used for?

A

Linear associations between ordinal data or interval/ratio data that is not normally distributed.

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12
Q

What is the range of correlation coefficients?

A

From -1 (perfect negative) to +1 (perfect positive), with 0 indicating no association.

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13
Q

What does the numerator in Pearson correlation measure?

A

Covariance, which indicates the direction of the association.

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14
Q

What does the denominator in Pearson correlation measure?

A

Standardization, allowing interpretation independent of the scale.

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15
Q

Do linear transformations affect Pearson correlation?

A

No, changes like converting cm to m do not impact the coefficient.

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16
Q

What is the Spearman correlation based on?

A

Ranks of data instead of raw values.

17
Q

What is an example of Spearman correlation?

A

Investigating the relationship between fear of missing out (FOMO) and pub visits.

18
Q

How is Spearman correlation calculated?

A

By ranking the data and computing the Pearson correlation on the ranks.

19
Q

What is a two-sided test in correlation analysis?

A

Tests whether the correlation in the population is different from zero.

20
Q

What is a one-sided test in correlation analysis?

A

Tests if the correlation in the population is positive or negative.

21
Q

How can p-values from a two-sided test be converted for a one-sided test?

A

Divide the two-sided p-value by 2.

22
Q

Why must one-sided tests be justified?

A

To avoid accusations of cherry-picking or cheating.

23
Q

What is the line of best fit in scatterplots?

A

A line that represents the data’s pattern in a correlation.

24
Q

How are correlations reported in scientific articles?

A

Often in scatterplots or correlation tables.

25
Q

What does r(A, B) = r(B, A) mean?

A

Correlations are symmetrical; the order of variables does not change the result.

26
Q

What does “Correlation ≠ Causation” mean?

A

Correlations show associations but not whether one variable causes the other.

27
Q

What is an example of a spurious correlation?

A

Shoe size correlates with reading ability due to age, not a direct relationship.

28
Q

What is the importance of time order in correlations?

A

It can sometimes exclude one variable as the causal factor (e.g., temperature rise before film crews arrive).

29
Q

What are degrees of freedom (df)?

A

The number of observations that are free to vary when computing statistics.

30
Q

How is df calculated in correlation tests?

A

df=n−2, where n
n is the sample size.

31
Q

What is the difference between a two-sided and one-sided correlation test?

A

Two-sided tests for any difference, while one-sided tests for a specific direction.

32
Q

What is the main use of scatterplots?

A

Visualizing the strength, direction, and shape of associations.

33
Q

How are correlation coefficients visualized?

A

In scatterplots or tables with associated p-values.

34
Q

What does p < 0.05 indicate in correlation tests?

A

The result is statistically significant.

35
Q

How are correlation coefficients reported?

A

As r, with up to 3 decimal places, bounded between -1 and +1.

36
Q

What is the role of p-values in reporting correlations?

A

They indicate whether the correlation is statistically significant.

37
Q

How does practice improve correlation interpretation?

A

By identifying patterns in scatterplots and computing correlations.

RESEARCH METHODS + STATS (8 decks)

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