Non-Experimental Methods: Correlations

Question 1

● What is a correlation?

Answer 1

A measure of the relationship between two variables

Question 2

● What are the variables in a correlation called?

Answer 2

Co-variables

Question 3

● What does a positive correlation show?

Answer 3

As one variable increases, the other increases

Question 4

● What does a negative correlation show?

Answer 4

As one variable increases, the other decreases

Question 5

● What does a zero correlation show?

Answer 5

There is no relationship between the variables

Question 6

● What is a scattergraph used for?

Answer 6

To show the relationship between two co-variables

Question 7

● What does the strength of a correlation refer to?

Answer 7

How close the values are to a perfect relationship

Question 8

● What does the direction of a correlation refer to?

Answer 8

Whether the relationship is positive or negative

Question 9

● What is a correlation coefficient?

Answer 9

A number showing the strength and direction of a relationship

Question 10

● What is the range of a correlation coefficient?

Answer 10

-1 to +1

Question 11

● What does a coefficient of +1 mean?

Answer 11

Perfect positive correlation

Question 12

● What does a coefficient of -1 mean?

Answer 12

Perfect negative correlation

Question 13

● What does a coefficient close to 0 mean?

Answer 13

Weak or no correlation

Question 14

● What does a correlation NOT show?

Answer 14

Cause and effect

Question 15

● What type of graph displays correlation?

Answer 15

Scattergraph

Question 16

● What is a strong positive correlation?

Answer 16

Values are close and both increase together

Question 17

● What is a strong negative correlation?

Answer 17

Values are close and one increases as the other decreases

Question 18

● What is meant by ‘no correlation’?

Answer 18

No pattern or relationship between variables

Question 19

● What is meant by intervening variable?

Answer 19

A third variable that may explain a correlation

Question 20

● Why is correlation not causation?

Answer 20

Other variables may influence the results

Question 21

▲ When should a researcher use a correlation?

Answer 21

When they want to assess the relationship between variables

Question 22

▲ Why might researchers choose a correlation over an experiment?

Answer 22

When it is unethical or impractical to manipulate variables

Question 23

▲ What conclusion can be drawn from a strong correlation?

Answer 23

There is a relationship, but not necessarily causation

Question 24

▲ Why might a scattergraph be useful?

Answer 24

To visually assess the strength and direction of a relationship

Question 25

▲ What does a positive correlation look like on a scattergraph?

Answer 25

Points rise from bottom left to top right

Question 26

▲ What does a negative correlation look like on a scattergraph?

Answer 26

Points fall from top left to bottom right

Question 27

▲ How can researchers reduce misinterpretation of correlations?

Answer 27

Avoid stating cause and effect

Question 28

▲ What is an example of a spurious correlation?

Answer 28

Ice cream sales and drowning rates

Question 29

▲ Why is it important to know the strength of a correlation?

Answer 29

To judge the usefulness of the relationship

Question 30

▲ When might a correlation be misleading?

Answer 30

When an intervening variable explains the relationship

Question 31

▲ Why are correlations useful for predicting outcomes?

Answer 31

They show trends between variables

Question 32

▲ What is a limitation of interpreting correlation data?

Answer 32

You cannot determine which variable affects the other

Question 33

▲ How does using two co-variables differ from IV/DV?

Answer 33

No manipulation—just measurement

Question 34

▲ Why might media misuse correlation data?

Answer 34

They may wrongly infer cause and effect

Question 35

▲ Why might a psychologist use a correlation before an experiment?

Answer 35

To explore patterns before testing cause

Question 36

✪ Why is it difficult to establish cause and effect in a correlation?

Answer 36

No manipulation of variables—other factors may influence results

Question 37

✪ How can correlation lead to incorrect conclusions?

Answer 37

Assuming one variable causes changes in the other without testing it

Question 38

✪ Why is it inappropriate to conclude that variable A causes B based on correlation?

Answer 38

Other variables could be responsible

Question 39

✪ How can intervening variables lower internal validity of a correlation?

Answer 39

They provide alternative explanations for the relationship

Question 40

✪ How might society misinterpret correlation research?

Answer 40

By treating correlation as causation

Question 41

✪ Why might correlation be more ethical than experiments in some cases?

Answer 41

It avoids manipulating sensitive variables

Question 42

✪ What is a key limitation of relying solely on correlation coefficients?

Answer 42

They do not explain why variables are related

Question 43

✪ Why do correlations have high reliability but low validity for causation?

Answer 43

Results are replicable but not explanatory

Question 44

✪ What is the benefit of using a correlation before conducting a full study?

Answer 44

It can identify whether a relationship exists worth exploring further

Question 45

✪ Why might strong correlations still be misleading in psychological research?

Answer 45

They don't account for all influencing variables