ABSTRACT
Correlation is primarily concerned with finding out whether a relationship exists and with determining its magnitude and direction. When two variables vary together, such as loneliness and depression, they are said to be
correlated
. Accordingly, correlational studies are attempts to find the extent to which two or more variables are related. Typically, in a correlational study, no variables are manipulated as in an experiment — the researcher measures naturally occurring events, behaviors, or personality characteristics and then determines if the measured scores covary. The simplest correlational study involves obtaining a pair of observations or measures on two different variables from a number of individuals. The paired measures are then statistically analyzed to determine if any relationship exists between them. For example, behavioral scientists have explored the relationship between variables such as anxiety level and self-esteem, attendance at classes in school and course grades, university performance and career success, and body weight and self-esteem.
