Correlations (College Board AP® Psychology): Flashcards
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Define correlational research.
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Cards in this collection (12)
Define correlational research.
Correlational research is a non-experimental methodology in which two co-variables are measured to identify whether a relationship exists between them, with no manipulation of an IV.
Define co-variables.
Co-variables are the two variables measured in a correlational study, with each participant producing one score on each variable.
What is a positive correlation?
A positive correlation is a relationship in which one co-variable increases as the other co-variable also increases, shown on a scatterplot as points trending upward from left to right.
What is a negative correlation?
A negative correlation is a relationship in which one co-variable increases as the other co-variable decreases, shown on a scatterplot as points trending downward from left to right.
Define correlation coefficient.
A correlation coefficient is a numerical value between -1 and +1 that expresses the strength and direction of the relationship between two co-variables.
A perfect positive correlation has a correlation coefficient of ___.
A perfect positive correlation has a correlation coefficient of +1.
True or False?
A zero correlation means two variables are completely unrelated.
False.
A zero correlation means there is no linear relationship between the co-variables, but a non-linear relationship may still exist.
What is the directionality problem in correlational research?
The directionality problem is the inability to determine which co-variable influenced the other, since either could be the cause or the relationship could be bidirectional.
What is the third variable problem?
The third variable problem is the possibility that an unmeasured, confounding variable influences both co-variables and explains their apparent relationship.
True or False?
A strong correlation between two co-variables establishes that one causes the other.
False.
No matter how high the correlation coefficient, causation cannot be inferred from correlational data alone because of the directionality and third variable problems.
In a correlational study each participant produces ____ scores, one for each co-variable.
In a correlational study each participant produces two scores, one for each co-variable.
Why is correlational research useful before designing an experiment?
Correlational research can establish whether a relationship exists between variables, which then informs a more controlled experiment designed to test causation.
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