Correlation: Measuring Strength of Relationships between Variables - Essay Sample

Introduction

Correlation is a concept used in research to describe the relationship between different variables. It is a measure of the strength of a linear relationship existing in quantifiable variables such as weight and height. In this case, the cause of the relationship does not matter, thus making it possible to determine the correlation between non-related variables under investigation. As a result, the resulting association between variables is described as having either high, moderate, low, or zero correlation. High correlation means that the degree of association between variables is high, while low correlation means that the relationship is low. Zero correlations occur when there is no association among variables. Apart from the magnitude of the relation, correlation can also be described as either negative or positive (Bakdash & Marusich, 2017). Positive correlations occur when the magnitude of variables move in the same directions, i.e., there is either an increase or decrease in both variables. In a negative correlation, however, one variable increases, while the other decreases.

Question Two: Difference between Correlation and Causation

The difference between correlation and causation is the nature of the effect of one variable on another. In causation, one variable triggers behavior in a different variable. The concepts apply in situations where one action causes an outcome (Love et al., 2016). As a result, the difference between the two concepts is that in causation, the nature of the relationship is the qualitative cause-effect association, while in correlation, it is quantitative increase or decrease in the magnitude of a different variable.

Question Three: Correlation without Causation Case

An example of correlation without causation relation is the viewing of violent television programs and exhibiting violent behavior. The two variables, the viewership of violent television programs and the exhibiting violent behavior among children, are correlated. In this case, if a child is violent, he or she is more likely to have watched violent television programs. The cause of violent behavior could be other reasons, and maybe violent children are fond of watching violent television programs. The correlation between the two variables is not enough to conclude that there are a cause and effect relationship between them. Thus, violent behavior is positively correlated with viewing violent television programs, but it does not mean that these programs cause violent behavior.

References

Bakdash, J. Z., & Marusich, L. R. (2017). Repeated measures correlation. Frontiers in psychology, 8(1), 456 -460. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00456

Love, P. E., Edwards, D. J., & Smith, J. (2016). Rework causation: Emergent theoretical insights and implications for research. Journal of construction engineering and management, 142(6), 416-450. https://ascelibrary.org/doi/abs/10.1061/(ASCE)CO.1943-7862.0001114