L8 - Correlations

Question 1

What are co-variables

Answer 1

Two quantitative variables

Question 2

What does analysis show?

Answer 2

• Positive correlations: as one variable increases, the other increases
• Negative correlations: as one variable increases, the other decreases
• No correlations: no relationship

Question 3

What is the correlation coefficient?

Answer 3

Strength of a correlation

Between -1 and 1

Question 4

Advantages of correlations:

Answer 4

• Allows psychologists to establish the strength of a relationship between two variables and measure or precisely
• Allows researchers to investigate things that could not be manipulated experimentally
• Predictions can be made about one variable based of the other

Question 5

Disadvantages of correlations:

Answer 5

• No cause and effect
• A third variable may be affecting the others
• Do not detect curvilinear relationships