Research Method: What Are Correlations?

Question 1

What are co-variables?

Answer 1

-refer to the variables being investigated within a correlation, for example height and weight

Question 2

Why are co-variables not referred to as the independent and dependent variables?

Answer 2

-because a correlation investigates the association between the variables, rather than trying to show a cause and effect relationship

Question 3

What is a correlation?

Answer 3

-shows whether there is a relationship or association between co-variables
-essentially, as one variable increases or decreases so will the other variable

Question 4

What is a scatter graph?

Answer 4

-a graphical display that shows the correlation or relationship between the two sets of data or co-variables by plotting dots to represent each pair of scores

Question 5

What does a scatter graph indicate?

Answer 5

-indicates the strength and direction of the correlation between the co-variables.

Question 6

What is positive correlation?

Answer 6

-is a relationship between two variables in which both variables move in the same direction, this means one variable increases, the other also increases

Question 7

Give an example of positive correlation.

Answer 7

-for example, hours studied and test scores (students who study more hours generally get the higher test scores) = positive correlation

Question 8

What is negative correlation?

Answer 8

-is a relationship between two variables in which the variables move in opposite directions, this means that as one variable increases, the other one decreases

Question 9

What is zero correlation?

Answer 9

-is a relationship between two variables in which there is no consistent pattern, this means that changes in one variable do not predict changes in one another.
E.g. shoe size and test score

Question 10

What is strength of correlation?

Answer 10

-shows how closely two variables are related, it is measured with the correlation coefficient, r, which ranges from -1 to +1

Question 11

What do values close to +1 show?

Answer 11

-strong relationship

Question 12

What do values around +- 0.3 - 0.6 show?

Answer 12

-a moderate relationship

Question 13

What does a value of zero show?

Answer 13

-no relationship between the variables

Question 14

What is correlation?

Answer 14

-is when two variables are related meaning they change together in some pattern

Question 15

What is causation?

Answer 15

-means that one variable directly causes the change in the other

Question 16

What’s the difference between correlation and causation?

Answer 16

-correlation shows a relationship, but causation shows a cause-and-effect; just because two things happen together doesn’t mean one caused the other.

Question 17

What is a curvilinear relationship?

Answer 17

-is a type of relationship between two variables where as one variable increases, so does the other variable, but only up to a certain point, after which, as one variable continues to increase, the other decreases

Question 18

What does the Yerkes - Dodson Law of Arosual state?

Answer 18

-states that performance is at its best when there is a moderate (optimal) level of arousal and will deteriorate if the arousal level is too or too high

Question 19

Evaluations - Correlation (Strengths)

Answer 19

-useful for investigating relationships when experiments are not possible
-can suggest patterns or trends
-quantitative measurement possible
-quick and economical
-can handle naturally occurring variables

Question 20

Evaluations - Correlations (Weaknesses)

Answer 20

-correlation does not mean causation
-direction of effect is unclear
-extraneous variable problem
-outliers can distort correlations
-cannot test complex cause-and-effect theories

Question 21

What are correlation hypotheses?

Answer 21

-hypotheses written for correlations are not the same as those for experiments as there is no IV or DV

Question 22

What do correlation hypotheses still clearly state?

Answer 22

-still clearly have to state the expected relationship between co-variables, which must be clearly operationalised

Question 23

Like experimental hypotheses, can correlation all hypotheses can be directional or non-directional?

Answer 23

YES

Question 24

1.A directional hypothesis could be:
Whereas the equivalent
2.non-directional hypothesis would be:

Answer 24

1.-there is a positive correlation between the price of a chocolate bar and its tastiness (out of 20)

2.-there is a correlation between the price of a chocolate bar and its tastiness rating (out of 20)