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Understanding Correlations in Studies: A Comprehensive Guide

Explore the basics of correlations, including Pearson’s r, magnitude, and significance. Learn about the correlation vs. causation debate, directional and 3rd variable problems. Discover examples and common pitfalls in interpreting correlations.

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Understanding Correlations in Studies: A Comprehensive Guide

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Presentation Transcript

  1. Correlations

  2. Correlational studies • What is a correlation? • r, Pearson’s r • Magnitude vs. sign vs. significance • Negative vs. positive correlation

  3. Example

  4. Correlation<>Causation • Directional problem • 3rd variable problem

  5. Examples—3rd variable problem • The more ice cream being sold, the more deaths by drowning. • People who eat more lobster tend to live longer. • College students who drink more alcohol tend to have poorer grades. • The more storks nesting on N. European rooftops, the more births 9 months later. • Cities with more churches also tend to have more crime. • Teenage boys who participated in Boy Scouts commit fewer street crimes. • http://www.tylervigen.com/spurious-correlations

  6. Headlines • Taller people more prone to cancer • Internet use in class leads to lower test scores • These 3 personality traits affect what you earn—but only after age 40 • Vegetarians are more depressed

  7. 3 things that can bias correlations • Truncated range • Outliers • Small n

  8. Scatterplots

  9. Cross-lagged correlations Opree, Buijzen, & Valkenburg, 2012

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