Correlations and correlation co-efficients (RM II)

What is correlation?

Correlation is a mathematical technique to investigate an association between co-variables. They are plotted on a scattergram.

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What are co-variables?

Co-variables are the variables investigated within a correlation. They are not referred to as the independent and dependent variables because a correlation investigates the association between the variables, rather than trying to show a cause-and-effect r

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What is positive correlation?

Positive correlation means that where as one co-variable increases, so does the other.

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What is negative correlation?

Negative correlation means that where as one co-variable increases, the other decreases.

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What is zero correlation?

Zero correlation is where there is no relationship between the co-variables.

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What is the difference between correlations and experiments?

In an experiment, the researcher manipulates the IV to measure the effect on the DV but in a correlation, there is no such manipulation of variables so it is not possible to establish cause-and-effect.

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How can you identify a strong correlation?

If points on the scattergram are tighter together, this is a strong correlation.

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How can you identify a weak correlation?

If points on the scattergram are spread out, this is a weak correlation.

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What are the strengths of correlation?

Correlation allows the researcher to investigate naturally occurring variables that maybe unethical or impractical to test experimentally.
Correlation allows the researcher to clearly and easily see if there is a relationship between variables.

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What are the limitations of correlation?

Correlation is not and cannot be taken to imply causation. Even if there is a very strong association between two variables, we cannot assume that one causes the other.
Correlation does not allow us to go beyond the data that is given.

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What are correlation co-efficients (r)?

Correlation coefficients (r) are numbers between -1 and +1 that represent the direction and strength of a relationship between co-variables. They are numerical expressions of correlations which does not involve using a scattergram.

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How can you identify the direction of a relationship between co-variables using correlation co-efficients?

Values over zero indicate a positive correlation and values under zero indicate a negative correlation.

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How can you identify the strength of a relationship between co-variables using correlation co-efficients?

The closer the coefficient is to +1 or -1, the stronger the relationship between variables is. The closer to 0, the weaker the relationship is.

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Correlations and correlation co-efficients (RM II)

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