Correlation measures the

association between
variables
Age

Room mate Average Joe Grandma

Cooking ability
80

Age

18
Room mate Average Joe Grandma

Cooking ability
80

Age

18
Room mate Average Joe Grandma

Cooking ability
80

Age

18
Room mate Average Joe Grandma

Cooking ability
80

Age

18
Room mate Average Joe Grandma

Cooking ability
 Correlation
• SAT score with college GPA
= .40
• Height of mothers with height of daughters
= .50
• Height of individuals with their weight
= .70
• Degree of overweight with degree of cardiovascular illness
= .30
• Height of basketball players with point scored for the season
• Average temperature in the Rocky Mountains on a given
summer day with the number of forest fires that day
Rank Order Correlation
Mother’s Height Daughter’s
Height
1 5
2 1
3 4
4 9
5 2
6 3
7 8
8 6
9 10
10 7
Rank Order Correlation =.54
Mother’s Height Daughter’s
Height
1 5
2 1
3 4
4 9
5 2
6 3
7 8
8 6
9 10
10 7
Actual Height in Cm Correlation
Mother’s Height Daughter’s
Height
154 160
156 150
159 158
162 175
162 152
164 166
167 172
168 154
172 176
177 170
Actual Height in Cm Correlation = .51
Mother’s Height Daughter’s
Height
154 160
156 150
159 158
162 175
162 152
164 166
167 172
168 154
172 176
177 170
 Reliability (1)
The degree to which a measure of a
particular variable gives the same
value across occasions
 Degree To Which A Measure
Correlates With Itself
• Correlation between measures of height taken on
different occasions
= 1.0 (if measuring to tolerance of ½ in)
• Correlation between SAT math score obtained on two
different occasions
= .85
• Correlation between Dr. Jones’ judgment about whether
your tooth needs filling on Monday with Dr. Jones’
judgment on Thursday
= .80
 Reliability (2)
The degree to which two different
measures which are supposed to
measure the same thing give the same
result
 Degree To Which Two Different Measures
Seem To Be Measuring The Same Thing
• Correlation between IQ test A and IQ test B (if low, at least one is
unreliable)
= .80 -.90
• Correlation between Dentist Jones’ judgment and Dentist Smith’s about
filling-readiness
= .70
• Correlation between two reviewers’ ratings of solid state physics
proposals submitted to NSF
= .30
• Correlation between two sorority sisters’ judgment of sisters’ shyness
= .65
• Correlation between two sorority sisters’ judgment of sisters’ physical
attractiveness
= .50
 Validity
• The degree to which a variable measures what it’s supposed
to
• E.g., IQ with school performance, with occupational
attainment, with income
• All about .40-.50
• Paper and pencil test of extroversion with ratings of
extroversion of the same people across a number of
situations
• About .70
• Rorschach ratings of paranoia with psychiatric ratings of
paranoia
 Validity
• The degree to which a variable measures what it’s
supposed to
• E.g., IQ with school performance, with occupational
attainment, with income
• All about .40-.50
• Paper and pencil test of extroversion with ratings of
extroversion of the same people across a number of
situations
• About .70
• Rorschach ratings of paranoia with psychiatric ratings of
paranoia
There can be no validity
if there is no reliability
Reliability implies little
about validity
 Experiment
• Scientific study in which a variable is
manipulated and a variable is measured
• E.g. give some people iodine and others
none, examine incidence of thyroid
problems
• Pay some children for drawing with magic
markers, examine extent to which they draw
with them when they are not paid
 Statistical Significance
of a Finding
• Probability that a result at least as extreme as
the one obtained could have occurred given
that there is in fact no relationship
• Expressed as p < .x
• E.g., p < .05
• = probability that the result (or even a stronger
one) could have been obtained even if there is
no relationship is less than 5 in a 100