Correlational Research

Correlational Research
The purpose of correlational research is to discover relationships between two or more variables. Relationship means that an individuals status on one variable tends to reflect his or her status on the other.

Correlational Research
Helps us understand related events, conditions, and behaviors.
Is there a relationship between educational levels of farmers and crop yields?

To make predictions of how one variable might predict another

Can high school grades be used to predict college grades?

Correlational Research
To examine the possible existence of causation
Does physical exercise cause people to lose weight?
CAUTION: In correlational research you CAN NOT absolutely say once variable causes something to happen. This can only be done through experimental research. You can say one variable might cause something else to happen.

Surveys Scores on various tests or rating scales Demographic information Judges or expert ratings

Where does the data come from for correlational research?

Correlational Research Process

Variables to be study are identified Questions and/or hypotheses are stated A sample is selected (a minimum of 30 is needed) Data are collected Correlations are calculated Results are reported

Terminology
Predictor variable the variable(s) that are believed to predict the outcome.
Could be called an independent variable

Terminology
Criterion variable the variable to be predicted, the outcome
Could be called the dependent variable

Terminology
Is level of education (predictor variable) related to family income (criterion variable)? Do people who eat more eggs (predictor variable) have higher cholesterol levels (criterion variable)?

Which correlation to use?

Phi correlation Spearman rho

Pearson Product Moment

Biserial Correlatio n

Kendall tau

Pearson Product-Moment Correlation

Used when both the criterion and predictor variable contain continuous interval data such as test scores, years of experience, money, etc.

Examples of when to use the Pearson Correlation!

Predictor Variable Criterion Variable Years of Experience in Job Satisfaction score Extension Family Income EOC Test Scores Distance from Krispy Kreme donut shop. Weight

How to Remember when to use a Pearson Correlation!

A purse contains both bills and coins. Both bills and coins are interval types of data. So when the two variables being correlated are interval data (like coins and bills) use the Purse-un Correlation.

Point Biserial Correlation

When the predictor variable is a natural (real) dichotomy (two categories) and the criterion variable is interval or continuous, the point biserial correlation is used.

Examples of when to use the Point Biserial Correlation!

Predictor Variable 4-H member or Not National Board Certified or Not Male or Female Criterion Variable Leadership score EOC Test Scores

Salary

How to Remember when to use a Point Biserial Correlation!

You have two bowls of cereal (remember bi means two such as in bicycle). One bowl is a china bowl, the other is not (this is a real dichotomy). Is there a relationship between the type of bowl and how many pieces of cereal you can put in the bowl? Since this is a rather stupid idea, what is the POINT? Thus Point Bi-Cereal.

Biserial Correlation
When the predictor variable is an artificial dichotomy (two categories) and the criterion variable is interval or continuous , the biserial correlation is used.

Examples of when to use the Biserial Correlation!

Predictor Variable Tall or short Good looking or ugly More Popular or Less Popular Criterion Variable Leadership score Salary Self Concept Score

How to Remember when to use a Biserial Correlation!

Think about a two people, a male who dresses like a male and a male who likes to dress like a female. One male is an artificial female. Some people might call the male bisexual (which rhymes with biserial.) You are going to see if there is a relationship between sex role portrayal and self esteem scores.

Phi Correlation
When the both the predictor and criterion variables are natural dichotomies (two categories), the phi correlation is used. If the dichotomies are artificial, the tetrachoric correlation is used. This is rarely the case in educational research

Examples of when to use the Phi Correlation!

Predictor Variable 4-H member or not Board Certified Teacher or Not Male or Female Criterion Variable On School Honor Roll or Not Member of Teachers Organization or Not Full Professor or Not

How to Remember when to use a Phi Correlation! Variable 1

When data used in Phi Correlations are visually depicted, it looks somewhat like a tic tac toe game. Phi is a 3 letter word just like tic tac and toe are. Variable 2

Yes Yes No 1 1

No 1 1

Spearman rho and Kendall tau

When the both the predictor and criterion variables are rankings, use either the Spearman rho or Kendall tau correlation.
More than 20 cases Spearman rho Less than 20 cases Kendall tau

Examples of when to use the Spearman rho or Kendall tau Correlation!

Predictor Variable Criterion Variable

Ranking of students in high school graduating class Ranking of discipline problems in 1990

Ranking of students according to number of scholarship offers Ranking of discipline problems in 2002

How to Remember when to use Spearman rho

Spearman rho reminds me of Spearmint gum because it sounds similar. Spearmint gum is made from a mint plant. To me a mint plant smells somewhat rank. And they sell Spearmint gum in big packages of 20 or more sticks.

How to Remember when to use Kendall tau

Kendall tau reminds me of a bull (tau is the first part of taurus, which is the zodiac sign of the bull). Some bulls are really rank. When you ride a bull in a rodeo you have to stay on for 8 seconds, which is a small amount of time.

Correlation Table
Predictor Variable Criterion Variable Correlation to Use Interval (Continuous) Interval (Continuous) Pearson Real Dichotomy Artificial Dichotomy Interval (Continuous) Point Biserial Interval (Continuous) Biserial

Real Dichotomy
Artificial Dichotomy Ranking Ranking

Real Dichotomy
Artificial Dichotomy Ranking Ranking

Phi
Tetrachoric Spearman rho for 20 or more rankings Kendalls tau for less than 20 rankings

Other Correlations
You can perform multiple correlations using such approaches as partial correlation, multiple regression, discriminant analysis, and factor analysis. These are outside the scope of this class.

Correlation Principles to Remember

For each individual in the research, there must be at least two measures, or it will be impossible to calculate a correlation.

Correlation Principles to Remember

A correlation may be statistically significant (it didnt happen by chance) but be weak or low which means it is nothing to get excited about.It has no practical significance.

More Principles to Remember

A correlation is reported as r such as r=.36.

More Principles to Remember

The statistical probability is reported as p.
Some researchers report the probability of the correlation happening by chance was p>.05 (more than 5 out of 100) or p<.05 (less than 5 out of 100) we hope for the later as researchers Other researchers report the actual probability; p=.03
The first approach was used before the age of computers Either approach is acceptable.

More Principles to Remember

In reporting correlations in research reports you report both the r value and the p.

Correlations
Correlations can range from 1.00 to 1.00
A 1.00 is a perfect positive correlation
As one variable increases, so does the other

A -1.00 is a perfect negative correlation

As one variable increases, the other variable decreases

A .00 correlation indicates no correlation

There is no relationship between one variable and another

Interpretation of the Strength of Correlations

.00 - .20 Very Weak .21 - .40 Weak .41 - .60 Moderate .61 - .80 Strong .81 1.00 - Very Strong
Different statisticians may have similar but slightly different scales.

Correlations
Scatter plots are often used to depict correlations
6000

Calories per day

5000 4000 3000 2000 1000 0 100 150 200 250 Weight 300 350

This chart shows a strong positive correlation

400

Correlations
Scatter plots are often used to depict correlations
Minutes of Exercise per day
160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 100 150 200 250 Weight 300 350 400

This chart shows a strong negative correlation

Correlations
Scatter plots are often used to depict correlations
45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 100

Miles from Krispy Creme

This chart shows virtually no correlation

150

200

250 Weight

300

350

400

How can I calculate correlations?

Excel has a statistical function. It calculates Pearson Product Moment correlations. SPSS (a statistical software program for personal computers used by graduate students) calculates correlations.