Research Methods - Correlations

Question 1

Correlations

Answer 1

• technique used for analysing the strength of the relationship between two quantitive variables (co variables)
• data usually obtained from a non experimental source

Question 2

Positive correlation

Answer 2

• as one variable increases, so does the other

Question 3

Negative correlation

Answer 3

As one variable increases, the other decreases

Question 4

No correlation

Answer 4

No relationship between the two variables

Question 5

Strength of correlation

Answer 5

Between -1 (strong negative correlation) and +1 (strong positive correlation)
Strength of correlation = correlation co efficient

Question 6

Curvilinear

Answer 6

Graph shape = parabola with a turning point at the top

Question 7

Correlations are plotted on

Answer 7

Scatter gram or scattergraph

Question 8

Advantage - strength

Answer 8

Psychologists can establish strength of relationship between variables and measure it precisely

Question 9

Advantages - investigate

Answer 9

• researchers can investigate things that can’t be manipulated experimentally for ethical or practical reasons

Question 10

Advantages - predictions

Answer 10

• predictions can be made about one of the variables based on what’s known about the other variable

Question 11

Disadvantage - cause and effect

Answer 11

• correlational analysis can’t demonstrate cause and effect - can’t tell which variable influences the other

Question 12

Disadvantage - relation

Answer 12

• correlation does not mean relation

Question 13

Disadvantage - curvilinear

Answer 13

• only measures linear relationships, not curvilinear relationships
• when there’s a positive relationship up to a point then it’s negative or vice versa