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Why cant correlational studies show causality between two variables?
Wiki User
∙ 12y ago
Correlation can only show that one variable increases linearly as another increases or decreases. It cannot show non-linear relationships. There can, therefore, be a perfect non-linear relationship and the correlation coefficient can be zero. For example y = x2 in the range (-a, a) for any positive number a,
Second, correlation cannot determine whether A causes B or B causes A. There is probably a good correlation between my age over the last 10 years and the number of white hairs on my head. However, I do not think that white hairs caused me to GROW older (I may look older, but that is another matter entirely).
Furthermore, when there are two correlated variable, there may not be any causal relationship between the two variables but there may be a third variable that causes both. There is a fairly good correlation between my age and the number of cars in the UK. My growing old did not increase the number of cars and the number of cars did not make me grow old. So there is no causal relation between them. Instead, both are correlated to time.
Wiki User
∙ 12y ago
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What does it mean if two variables have a negative correlation?
A positive correlation between two variables, say X and Y, means that if one increases, the other will too. No correlation means that they are not related. A negative correlation means that as one increases, the other decreases. Normally you will see this in studies as "Recent studies demonstrated a positive correlation between eating too much and obesity." Or, "recent studies demonstrate a negative correlation between a healthy, balanced diet and obesity".
Do qualitative studies have independent and dependent variables?
Yes it depends on what you are measuring in your study. some examples of variable include age, sex, marital status among others
Who studies numbers today?
Acountance
Why do some artists try to use the golden ratio in their artwork?
People say (and studies show) that this ratio is aesthetically pleasing. Of any rectangle, people like the golden rectangle the most. However, even though studies show a correlation between the ratio phi and beauty, it is important to know that these studies do not imply causation. Artists like to use it because the ratio is aesthetically pleasing, but I believe it has more to do with muscles in the eye and their movements being easier to encompass the whole picture than any of this golden ratio stuff.
What do you call a person that studies statistics?
A statistician
What does it mean if two variables have a negative correlation?
A positive correlation between two variables, say X and Y, means that if one increases, the other will too. No correlation means that they are not related. A negative correlation means that as one increases, the other decreases. Normally you will see this in studies as "Recent studies demonstrated a positive correlation between eating too much and obesity." Or, "recent studies demonstrate a negative correlation between a healthy, balanced diet and obesity".
What are the different types of descriptive research?
Case Studies Job Analyses Documentary Analysis Developmental Studies Correlational Studies Examples of this are Surveys (questionnaires, Delphi method, interviews, normative) Im only in psychology 1 but this is my most educated guess.=) hope this helped.=p
What methods is most helpful for revealing cause-effect relationships?
Experiments with a control and variable...not correlational studies because they don't ensure that the cause led directly to the "effects"
Which of the following is an important advantage of experiments over observational studies?
The main possible advantage is that in an experiment, it is possible to control some of the variables so that it is easier to measure the effect of key variables. In observational studies, no such control is possible.
What is the relationship between population studies and sociology?
Demography may be conceived as consisting of two facets, demographic analysis and population studies. The former is concerned only with the study of population size and composition and components of variation and change; the latter, with the interrelationships of population and other systems of variables of which the sociological constitute but one set. Population study affords the sociologist the opportunity to work with quantified variables which provide some bechmark against which to work with other sets of variables. Demography, although a multiscience discipline, can contribute to the central interests of sociology and, in return, gain from study of the interrelations of demographic and sociological variables.
Correlation refers to the extent to which two variables?
Correlation refers to the extent to which two variables relate to one another. This is often referred to in scientific studies.
Why are statistical procedures such as t-tests and analysis if variances not appropriate for use in qualitative studies?
Because a t-test is designed to measure the difference between means on variables that can be measured (interval data). For example, comparing the difference of height between males and females in centimetres. Qualitative studies are not interval data, but qualitative information is coded and analysed by frequencies - you are not comparing two normally distributed variables that can be measured on a continuous spectrum of measurement.
What is the difference between geological studies and the sonar studies?
what is the main difference between geolgical studies and the sonar studies
What are difference between correlation method and experimental method?
In correlational studies a researcher looks for associations among naturally occurring variables, whereas in experimental studies the researcher introduces a change and then monitors its effects. For instance, a correlational study might look at variables that cannot be manipulated for the purposes of the study. For instance, is height correlated with how much people earn? Or, is intelligence correlated with marital happiness? You would be giving subjects tests and surveys to answer these questions, but could not manipulate the variables. In addition, I don't think that there is a "control group" for comparison purposes. On the other hand, an experimental study involves comparing two groups - and manipulating the variables. For instance, let's say the question is, "Does caffeine improve test performance?" Group 1 would have your subjects come to the lab and take some kind of test, making sure that they had had no caffeine within the last 24 hours, or some such scenario. Group 2 would have the same group of subjects come to the lab, drink a cup of coffee (or something) 20 minutes before taking a similar version of the first test (so there are no practice effects), and then comparing Group 1 and Group 2's scores to see if there was any significant difference.
What are Sources of internal invalidity?
Sources of internal invalidity in research studies include confounding variables, selection bias, measurement bias, and researcher bias. These factors can affect the internal validity of the study results and make it difficult to draw accurate conclusions about the relationship between variables.
Distinguish between general equilibrium partial equilibrium analysis?
Partial Equilibrium, studies equilibrium of individual firm, consumer, seller and industry. It studies one variable in isolation keeping all the other variables constant.General Equilibrium, studies a number of economic variable, their inter relation and inter dependencies for understanding the economic system.
What is dynamic analysis?
Micro dynamic analysis analyzes the relation between economics variables at different points at time. It studies all the changes and disequilibrium that occurs while moving from one equilibrium position to the other.
