Lecture 6

Question 1

What does Correlational research examine?

Answer 1

General relationships between variable of interest for particular questions

Question 2

What does Correlational Research involve?

Answer 2

Measuring at least two variables and then determining whether a relationship exists

Question 3

What is important to remember about correlational research?

Answer 3

Variables are only ever measured, never manipulated

Question 4

What are the Advantages of Correlational Research?

Answer 4

• Gauges the strengths of relationship present
• Can be used to make predictions about variables
• Identifies ‘real-world’ associations
• Can be used to study things that we wouldn’t be able to ethically manipulate

Question 5

What are the Disadvantages of Correlational Research?

Answer 5

• Because studies can take place outside the lab, they can be uncontrolled
• Correlation is not causation

Question 6

What does the Bidirectionality problem and the third variable problem demonstrate?

Answer 6

That interpreting correlations is complicated

Question 7

What does the Bidirectionality problem ask?

Answer 7

Does x cause y or does y cause x

Question 8

What does the Third Variable problem ask?

Answer 8

Is there another unaccounted for variable involved in the relationship

Question 9

How can correlation be mathematically described?

Answer 9

The correlation coefficient

Question 10

How does the Correlation Coefficient work?

Answer 10

Between -1 and 1 indicated the direction (positive or negative). The absolute value indicates strengths of relationship between two variable. 0.1 small effect

Question 11

What does a positive correlation graph look like?

Answer 11

As x increases, y increases

As x decreases y decreases

Question 12

What does a negative correlation graph look like?

Answer 12

As x increases, y decreases

As x decreases, y increases

Question 13

What are the 3 main characteristics of experiments?

Answer 13

A manipulated variable
A measured variable
Controlled variables