Correlation Analysis

Correlation is a measure of association between two variables.

This association should not be mistaken for causal relationship as two variables may be related to one another but it does not make sense to say that one causes the other.

The most popular technique to measure the relationship between two variables. Here, we are interested in two things:

Magnitude of the relationship
The direction of the relationship

Pearson Correlation Analysis

Measures the degree to which there is a linear association between two variables (measured in either interval and/or ratio scale)

A positive correlation reflects a tendency for a high value in one variable to be associated with a high value in the second.

A negative correlation on the other hand, reflects a tendency for a high value in one variable to be associated with a low value in the second.

Cohen (1998)’s guideline for social science research

Pearson’s Correlation Analysi Using SPSS

Step 1: Select Analyze, Correlate, Bivariate.

Step 2: 1.Select the variables (must be interval or ratio scaled) of interest and move them to the Variables box. Don't forget to select Test of Significance.

Step 3: Select Pearson in Correlation Coefficients option. Continue and OK.

Sample of Reporting Style

Spearman Rank Order Correlation

Use the Spearman rank order correlation to analyse ordinal measures.

Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient, developed by Charles Spearman in early 1990s, is a measure of correlation that exists between the two sets of ranks.

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