Causal Explanation Models in Correlations

Causal Explanation Models in Correlations

Causal Explanation Models in Correlations
Question: A negative correlation between a hockey player’s age and the number of minutes he spends in the penalty box indicates that:
the older a player is, the less time he spends in the penalty box.
spending more time on the ice leads hockey players to become skilled at avoiding the referees.
an older player’s greater experience has taught him how to avoid making penalties.
older players make fewer penalties because they have reduced testosterone levels.

Flag this Question Question 22 pts Gretchen, an adult, takes an intelligence test and it shows she has slightly above average intelligence. Four years later, she has the chance to take the same test again. This time it reports that she is a genius. While she wants to believe the results, she wonders if the inconsistency of results over time might mean the test:
is poorly correlated with intelligence.
has low test–retest reliability.
has high split-half reliability.
has a high coefficient alpha.

Flag this Question Question 32 pts Researchers who study the process of reading in children have discovered that better readers make smoother eye movements across the page (i.e., there is a positive correlation between reading skill and the smoothness of the eye movements). Which of the following statements is a possible cause of the correlation between smooth eye movements and reading ability?
Having good reading skills allows a child to make smooth eye movements.
All of these options are possible causes of the correlation.
The ability to make smooth eye movements improves reading ability.
Some third factor might cause both smooth eye movements and improved reading ability.

Causal Explanation Models in Correlations

Flag this Question Question 42 pts What is the correlation between a person’s weight as measured in grams and a person’s weight as measured in pounds?
+1.00
–1.00
0.00
It is impossible to determine from the information provided.

Flag this Question Question 52 pts The model of possible causal explanations for a correlation is called the:
A-B-C model.
cause-and-effect model.
causal explanation model.
1-2-3 model.

Flag this Question Question 62 pts “The incidence of depression among college students is negatively correlated with the number of sunny days each year in the locale where they attend college.” This statement means that:
if a depressed student were to move to a locale with more sunny days, her depression would subside.
a student attending college in a locale with very few sunny days will become depressed.
the chances of a college student being depressed tend to increase as the number of sunny days increases.
the chances of a college student being depressed tend to be higher with fewer sunny days.

Flag this Question Question 72 pts A positive correlation between head size and foot size indicates that:
having large feet causes a person to have a large head.
having a large head causes a person to have large feet.
people with larger feet tend to have smaller heads.
people with larger feet also tend to have larger heads.

Flag this Question Question 82 pts A perfect linear relationship will yield a Pearson’s r value of:
1.00 or –1.00.
0.
1.00.
–1.00.

Flag this Question Question 92 pts The best and most widely used measure of reliability is:
the split-half correlation, in which the odd and even numbered items of a measure are correlated to assess internal consistency.
criterion-related reliability.
coefficient alpha, the average of all possible split-half correlations.
the test-retest reliability.

Causal Explanation Models in Correlations

Flag this Question Question 102 pts Test-retest reliability is determined by:
correlating the odd numbered items of a measure with an individual’s performance on the even numbered items of that same measure.
correlating the odd numbered items of a measure with an individual’s performance on the even numbered items of a different measure.
administering the same measure to two different samples at two different points in time and calculating the correlation between an individual’s performance at the two different times
administering the same measure to the same sample at two different points in time and calculating the correlation between an individual’s performance on the two administrations.

Flag this Question Question 112 pts The sign of the correlation communicates:
the direction of the association.
the direction and strength of the correlation.
the direction of the causal relationship.
the strength of the correlation.

Flag this Question Question 122 pts Psychometricians are concerned with:
studying illness and the onset of psychological illness.
developing high quality tests and measures.
statistics and computers.
fixing psychological issues in people.

Flag this Question Question 132 pts One assumption for using hypothesis testing for Pearson correlation is that one variable should vary equally at each level of the other variable. What is the easiest way to determine whether this assumption has been met?
If the calculation of r is high, then the assumption has been met.
Calculate the cross-products of the deviation scores. If the result is positive, then the assumption has been met.
Conduct a post-hoc test following the calculation of r.
Draw a scatterplot to see whether the range of values is equal across all values of the other variable.

Flag this Question Question 142 pts Which of the following numbers would represent a perfect correlation?
–1.00
1.00
–1.00 or 1.00
0

Flag this Question Question 152 pts What kind of correlation would you expect to find between the severity of snowstorms and rates of attendance at college classes?
positive
perfect negative
negative
zero

Causal Explanation Models in Correlations

Flag this Question Question 162 pts The denominator of the Pearson correlation equation corrects for ________ and ________ issues present in the numerator.
negative values; nonlinear data
sample size; nonnormality
negative values; variability
sample size; variability

Flag this Question Question 172 pts In a reanalysis of published studies, Twenge and Im (2007) found that for the time period 1958–2001, the need for social approval of people in the United States was negatively correlated with the U.S. violent crime rate during the same period (the correlation coefficient was –0.31). This correlation means that:
as the need for social approval went up, the number of violent crimes also increased.
the need for social approval prevented people from committing violent crimes.
the need for social approval spurred people to commit violent crimes.
as the need for social approval went up, the number of violent crimes decreased.

Flag this Question Question 182 pts Imagine that you’ve just read the results of a study that finds a positive correlation between gum chewing and life expectancy. Which of the following statements would be a statistically appropriate response to the results of the study?
You bemoan the possibility of living so long that you will have to chew lots of gum.
You become curious about what third variables might cause both increases in gum chewing and increases in life expectancy.
You purchase a lifetime supply of gum because chewing gum is good for your health.
You tell all your friends and family members to chew gum because it is good for their health.

Causal Explanation Models in Correlations

Flag this Question Question 192 pts If all the points on a scatterplot fall on a single line:
there is a positive correlation between the two variables.
the relation between the variables is perfect.
there is no relation between the variables.
the variables are causally related.

Flag this Question Question 202 pts What kind of correlation would you expect to find between levels of family income and household spending on consumer goods?
zero
perfect positive
positive
negative

Flag this Question Question 212 pts The numerator (top half) of the Pearson correlation coefficient formula includes:
the difference between the two sample means.
the sum of the product of the deviations for each variable.
.
the square root of the product of the two sums of squares.

Flag this Question Question 222 pts Suppose a researcher discovers that length of time spent following a Mediterranean diet is negatively correlated with risk of developing cancer. Which of the statements logically follows from this information?
Eating a Mediterranean diet reduces the risk of developing cancer.
People who ate a Mediterranean diet for more time were more likely to have cancer.
Eating a Mediterranean diet increases the risk of developing cancer.
People who ate a Mediterranean diet for more time were less likely to have cancer.