Correlational research is a type of non-experimental research method in which a researcher measures two variables, understands and assesses the statistical relationship between them with no influence from any extraneous variable. Our minds can do some brilliant things. For example, it can memorize the jingle of a pizza truck. The louder the jingle, the closer the pizza truck is to us. Who taught us that? Nobody! We relied on our understanding and came to a conclusion. We don’t stop there, do we? If there are multiple pizza trucks in the area and each one has a different jingle, we would memorize it all and relate the jingle to its pizza truck. Gather research insights This is what correlational research precisely is, establishing a relationship between two variables, “jingle” and “distance of the truck” in this particular example. The correlational study is looking for variables that seem to interact with each other. When you see one variable changing, you have a fair idea of how the other variable will change. ExampleThe correlation coefficient shows the correlation between two variables (A correlation coefficient is a statistical measure that calculates the strength of the relationship between two variables), a value measured between -1 and +1. When the correlation coefficient is close to +1, there is a positive correlation between the two variables. If the value is close to -1, there is a negative correlation between the two variables. When the value is close to zero, then there is no relationship between the two variables. Let us take an example to understand correlational research. Consider hypothetically; a researcher is studying a correlation between cancer and marriage. In this study, there are two variables: disease and marriage. Let us say marriage has a negative association with cancer. This means that married people are less likely to develop cancer. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that marriage directly avoids cancer. In correlational research, it is not possible to establish the fact, what causes what. It is a misconception that a correlational study involves two quantitative variables. However, the reality is two variables are measured, but neither is changed. This is true independent of whether the variables are quantitative or categorical. Types of correlational researchMainly three types of correlational research have been identified: 1. Positive correlation: A positive relationship between two variables is when an increase in one variable leads to a rise in the other variable. A decrease in one variable will see a reduction in the other variable. For example, the amount of money a person has might positively correlate with the number of cars the person owns. 2. Negative correlation: A negative correlation is quite literally the opposite of a positive relationship. If there is an increase in one variable, the second variable will show a decrease and vice versa. For example, being educated might negatively correlate with the crime rate when an increase in one variable leads to a decrease in another and vice versa. If the level of education in a country is improved, it can lower crime rates. Please note that this doesn’t mean that lack of education leads to crimes. It only means that a lack of education and crime is believed to have a common reason – poverty. 3. No correlation: In this third type, there is no correlation between the two variables. A change in one variable may not necessarily see a difference in the other variable. For example, being a millionaire and happiness is not correlated. An increase in money doesn’t lead to happiness. Characteristics of correlational researchCorrelational research has three main characteristics. They are:
Gather research insights Data collectionThe distinctive feature of correlational research is that the researcher can’t manipulate either of the variable involved. It doesn’t matter how or where the variables are measured. A researcher could observe participants in a closed environment or a public setting.  Researchers use two data collection methods to collect information in correlational research. Naturalistic observation Naturalistic observation is a way of data collection in which people’s behavior is observed in their natural environment, in which they typically exist. This method is a type of field research. It could mean a researcher might be observing people in a grocery store, at the cinema, playground, or similar places. Researchers who are usually involved in this type of data collection make observations as unobtrusively as possible so that the participants involved in the study are not aware that they are being observed else they might deviate from being their natural self. Ethically this method is acceptable if the participants remain anonymous, and if the study is conducted in a public setting, a place where people would not normally expect complete privacy. As mentioned previously, taking an example of the grocery store where people can be observed while collecting an item from the aisle and putting in the shopping bags. This is ethically acceptable, and that is the reason most researchers choose public settings for recording their observations. This data collection method could be both qualitative or quantitative. Archival data Another approach to correlational data is the use of archival data. Archival information is the data that has been previously collected by doing similar kinds of research. Archival data is usually made available through primary research. In contrast to naturalistic observation, the information collected through archived data can be quite straightforward. For example, counting the number of people named Richard in the various states of America based on social security records is quite straightforward.
A correlation refers to a relationship between two variables. Correlations can be strong or weak and positive or negative. Sometimes, there is no correlation. Verywell / Brianna GilmartinThere are three possible outcomes of a correlation study: a positive correlation, a negative correlation, or no correlation. Researchers can present the results using a numerical value called the correlation coefficient.
The correlation coefficient is a measure of the correlation strength. It can range from –1.00 (negative) to +1.00 (positive). A correlation coefficient of 0 indicates no correlation. Correlational studies are a type of research often used in psychology, as well as other fields like medicine. Correlational research is a preliminary way to gather information about a topic. The method is also useful if researchers are unable to perform an experiment. Researchers use correlations to see if a relationship between two or more variables exists, but the variables themselves are not under the control of the researchers. While correlational research can demonstrate a relationship between variables, it cannot prove that changing one variable will change another. In other words, correlational studies cannot prove cause-and-effect relationships. There are three types of correlational research: naturalistic observation, the survey method, and archival research. Each type has its own purpose, as well as its pros and cons. The naturalistic observation method involves observing and recording variables of interest in a natural setting without interference or manipulation.
Advantages
Disadvantages
This method is well-suited to studies where researchers want to see how variables behave in their natural setting or state. Inspiration can then be drawn from the observations to inform future avenues of research. In some cases, it might be the only method available to researchers; for example, if lab experimentation would be precluded by access, resources, or ethics. It might be preferable to not being able to conduct research at all, but the method can be costly and usually takes a lot of time.
Naturalistic observation presents several challenges for researchers. For one, it does not allow them to control or influence the variables in any way nor can they change any possible external variables. However, this does not mean that researchers will get reliable data from watching the variables, or that the information they gather will be free from bias. For example, study subjects might act differently if they know that they are being watched. The researchers might not be aware that the behavior that they are observing is not necessarily the subject's natural state (i.e., how they would act if they did not know they were being watched). Researchers also need to be aware of their biases, which can affect the observation and interpretation of a subject's behavior. Surveys and questionnaires are some of the most common methods used for psychological research. The survey method involves having a random sample of participants complete a survey, test, or questionnaire related to the variables of interest. Random sampling is vital to the generalizability of a survey's results.
Advantages
Disadvantages
If researchers need to gather a large amount of data in a short period of time, a survey is likely to be the fastest, easiest, and cheapest option. It's also a flexible method because it lets researchers create data-gathering tools that will help ensure they get the information they need (survey responses) from all the sources they want to use (a random sample of participants taking the survey). Survey data might be cost-efficient and easy to get, but it has its downsides. For one, the data is not always reliable—particularly if the survey questions are poorly written or the overall design or delivery is weak. Data is also affected by specific faults, such as unrepresented or underrepresented samples.
The use of surveys relies on participants to provide useful data. Researchers need to be aware of the specific factors related to the people taking the survey that will affect its outcome. For example, some people might struggle to understand the questions. A person might answer a particular way to try to please the researchers or to try to control how the researchers perceive them (such as trying to make themselves "look better"). Sometimes, respondents might not even realize that their answers are incorrect or misleading because of mistaken memories. Many areas of psychological research benefit from analyzing studies that were conducted long ago by other researchers, as well as reviewing historical records and case studies. For example, in an experiment known as "The Irritable Heart," researchers used digitalized records containing information on American Civil War veterans to learn more about post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Advantages
Disadvantages
Using records, databases, and libraries that are publically accessible or accessible through their institution can help researchers who might not have a lot of money to support their research efforts.
Free and low-cost resources are available to researchers at all levels through academic institutions, museums, and data repositories around the world. Another potential benefit is that these sources often provide an enormous amount of data that was collected over a very long period of time, which can give researchers a way to view trends, relationships, and outcomes related to their research. While the inability to change variables can be a disadvantage of some methods, it can be a benefit of archival research. That said, using historical records or information that was collected a long time ago also presents challenges. For one, important information might be missing or incomplete and some aspects of older studies might not be useful to researchers in a modern context. A primary issue with archival research is reliability. When reviewing old research, little information might be available about who conducted the research, how a study was designed, who participated in the research, as well as how data was collected and interpreted. Researchers can also be presented with ethical quandaries—for example, should modern researchers use data from studies that were conducted unethically or with questionable ethics? You've probably heard the phrase, "correlation does not equal causation." This means that while correlational research can suggest that there is a relationship between two variables, it cannot prove that one variable will change another. For example, researchers might perform a correlational study that suggests there is a relationship between academic success and a person's self-esteem. However, the study cannot show that academic success changes a person's self-esteem. To determine why the relationship exists, researchers would need to consider and experiment with other variables, such as the subject's social relationships, cognitive abilities, personality, and socioeconomic status. |
Studies look at the relationship between two variables without manipulating either of them.
Pos Terkait
Copyright © 2024 ketiadaan Inc.
