Pearson correlation - overview
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Pearson correlation | Friedman test | Two sample $t$ test - equal variances not assumed |
You cannot compare more than 3 methods |
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Variable 1 | Independent/grouping variable | Independent/grouping variable | |
One quantitative of interval or ratio level | One within subject factor ($\geq 2$ related groups) | One categorical with 2 independent groups | |
Variable 2 | Dependent variable | Dependent variable | |
One quantitative of interval or ratio level | One of ordinal level | One quantitative of interval or ratio level | |
Null hypothesis | Null hypothesis | Null hypothesis | |
H0: $\rho = \rho_0$
Here $\rho$ is the Pearson correlation in the population, and $\rho_0$ is the Pearson correlation in the population according to the null hypothesis (usually 0). The Pearson correlation is a measure for the strength and direction of the linear relationship between two variables of at least interval measurement level. | H0: the population scores in any of the related groups are not systematically higher or lower than the population scores in any of the other related groups
Usually the related groups are the different measurement points. Several different formulations of the null hypothesis can be found in the literature, and we do not agree with all of them. Make sure you (also) learn the one that is given in your text book or by your teacher. | H0: $\mu_1 = \mu_2$
Here $\mu_1$ is the population mean for group 1, and $\mu_2$ is the population mean for group 2. | |
Alternative hypothesis | Alternative hypothesis | Alternative hypothesis | |
H1 two sided: $\rho \neq \rho_0$ H1 right sided: $\rho > \rho_0$ H1 left sided: $\rho < \rho_0$ | H1: the population scores in some of the related groups are systematically higher or lower than the population scores in other related groups | H1 two sided: $\mu_1 \neq \mu_2$ H1 right sided: $\mu_1 > \mu_2$ H1 left sided: $\mu_1 < \mu_2$ | |
Assumptions of test for correlation | Assumptions | Assumptions | |
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Test statistic | Test statistic | Test statistic | |
Test statistic for testing H0: $\rho = 0$:
| $Q = \dfrac{12}{N \times k(k + 1)} \sum R^2_i - 3 \times N(k + 1)$
Here $N$ is the number of 'blocks' (usually the subjects - so if you have 4 repeated measurements for 60 subjects, $N$ equals 60), $k$ is the number of related groups (usually the number of repeated measurements), and $R_i$ is the sum of ranks in group $i$. Remember that multiplication precedes addition, so first compute $\frac{12}{N \times k(k + 1)} \times \sum R^2_i$ and then subtract $3 \times N(k + 1)$. Note: if ties are present in the data, the formula for $Q$ is more complicated. | $t = \dfrac{(\bar{y}_1 - \bar{y}_2) - 0}{\sqrt{\dfrac{s^2_1}{n_1} + \dfrac{s^2_2}{n_2}}} = \dfrac{\bar{y}_1 - \bar{y}_2}{\sqrt{\dfrac{s^2_1}{n_1} + \dfrac{s^2_2}{n_2}}}$
Here $\bar{y}_1$ is the sample mean in group 1, $\bar{y}_2$ is the sample mean in group 2, $s^2_1$ is the sample variance in group 1, $s^2_2$ is the sample variance in group 2, $n_1$ is the sample size of group 1, and $n_2$ is the sample size of group 2. The 0 represents the difference in population means according to the null hypothesis. The denominator $\sqrt{\frac{s^2_1}{n_1} + \frac{s^2_2}{n_2}}$ is the standard error of the sampling distribution of $\bar{y}_1 - \bar{y}_2$. The $t$ value indicates how many standard errors $\bar{y}_1 - \bar{y}_2$ is removed from 0. Note: we could just as well compute $\bar{y}_2 - \bar{y}_1$ in the numerator, but then the left sided alternative becomes $\mu_2 < \mu_1$, and the right sided alternative becomes $\mu_2 > \mu_1$. | |
Sampling distribution of $t$ and of $z$ if H0 were true | Sampling distribution of $Q$ if H0 were true | Sampling distribution of $t$ if H0 were true | |
Sampling distribution of $t$:
| If the number of blocks $N$ is large, approximately the chi-squared distribution with $k - 1$ degrees of freedom.
For small samples, the exact distribution of $Q$ should be used. | Approximately the $t$ distribution with $k$ degrees of freedom, with $k$ equal to $k = \dfrac{\Bigg(\dfrac{s^2_1}{n_1} + \dfrac{s^2_2}{n_2}\Bigg)^2}{\dfrac{1}{n_1 - 1} \Bigg(\dfrac{s^2_1}{n_1}\Bigg)^2 + \dfrac{1}{n_2 - 1} \Bigg(\dfrac{s^2_2}{n_2}\Bigg)^2}$ or $k$ = the smaller of $n_1$ - 1 and $n_2$ - 1 First definition of $k$ is used by computer programs, second definition is often used for hand calculations. | |
Significant? | Significant? | Significant? | |
$t$ Test two sided:
| If the number of blocks $N$ is large, the table with critical $X^2$ values can be used. If we denote $X^2 = Q$:
| Two sided:
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Approximate $C$% confidence interval for $\rho$ | n.a. | Approximate $C\%$ confidence interval for $\mu_1 - \mu_2$ | |
First compute the approximate $C$% confidence interval for $\rho_{Fisher}$:
Then transform back to get the approximate $C$% confidence interval for $\rho$:
| - | $(\bar{y}_1 - \bar{y}_2) \pm t^* \times \sqrt{\dfrac{s^2_1}{n_1} + \dfrac{s^2_2}{n_2}}$
where the critical value $t^*$ is the value under the $t_{k}$ distribution with the area $C / 100$ between $-t^*$ and $t^*$ (e.g. $t^*$ = 2.086 for a 95% confidence interval when df = 20). The confidence interval for $\mu_1 - \mu_2$ can also be used as significance test. | |
Properties of the Pearson correlation coefficient | n.a. | n.a. | |
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n.a. | n.a. | Visual representation | |
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Equivalent to | n.a. | n.a. | |
OLS regression with one independent variable:
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Example context | Example context | Example context | |
Is there a linear relationship between physical health and mental health? | Is there a difference in depression level between measurement point 1 (pre-intervention), measurement point 2 (1 week post-intervention), and measurement point 3 (6 weeks post-intervention)? | Is the average mental health score different between men and women? | |
SPSS | SPSS | SPSS | |
Analyze > Correlate > Bivariate...
| Analyze > Nonparametric Tests > Legacy Dialogs > K Related Samples...
| Analyze > Compare Means > Independent-Samples T Test...
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Jamovi | Jamovi | Jamovi | |
Regression > Correlation Matrix
| ANOVA > Repeated Measures ANOVA - Friedman
| T-Tests > Independent Samples T-Test
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Practice questions | Practice questions | Practice questions | |