Lesson 4 - Correlations

Question 1

Strength of a correlation is known as the…?

Answer 1

Correlation coefficient

Question 2

-1 correlation coefficient indicates…?

Answer 2

A strong negative correlation

Question 3

How do you plot correlations?

Answer 3

Scattergraph

Question 4

Strengths of correlations

Answer 4

Allows psychologists to establish the strength of the relationship between two co-variables

Allows us to investigate variables that are unethical or impractical to manipulate. For example, a natural relationship may occur between cardiovascular disease and stress levels. You cannot induce stress or inflict cardiovascular disease to see if one affects the other.

Question 5

Weaknesses of correlations

Answer 5

Cannot establish cause and effect. We cannot tell which variable has an effect on the other.

There may be an unknown third variable which causes changes in the co-variables

You cannot establish a curvilinear relationship, only linear ones