Correlations

What is correlation

A mathermatical technique in which a researcher investigates an association between 2 variables called co-variables

Whats co variables

The vaeriables investigated within a correlation, e.g weight and height. They are not referred to as the independent and dependent variables because a correlation investigates the association between the variables rather than trying to show a cause and effect relationship

Whats positive correlation

As one co-variable increases so does the other. e.g the number of people in a room and noise tend to be positively correlated.

Negative correlation

As one co variable increases the other decreases. E.g the number of people in a room and amount of personal space tend to be negatively correlated.

Zero correlation

When there is no relationship between the co variabels. E.g the associations between the number of people in a room in manchester and the total daily rainfall in peru is likely to be zero.

Differencebetween correlations and experiment

In experiment, researcher controls or manipulates the iv to measure effect of DV.

In correlation , thers no manipulation of one variable, not possible to establish cause and effect between one co-variable and another. Even if theres strong correlation between caffeine and anxiety level, we cannot assume caffeine is cause of the anxiety.