Correlation Method is a research method in which researches attempt to determine, whether and to what extent different variables are related to each other.
For example: Correlation can be used for instance, to study the relationship between intelligence and adjustment. You cannot create people with high or low levels of intelligence or vary their adjustment level. What you can do is to find out people who vary in the level of intelligence test, then you may select people with low and high intelligence and asses their levels of adjustment.
- The strength and direction of the relationship between the two variables is represented by a number known as correlation coefficient.
- Its value can range from +1.0 to -1.0.
- Coefficient of correlation is of three types.
Positive correlation: It indicates that increase or decrease in one variable leads to increase or decrease in other variable too.
e.g. As the level of intelligence increases, adjustment level also improves and vice versa.
Negative correlation: It indicates that as the value of one variable increases the value of other variable decreases.
For example: You may find that adjustment level decreases with increasing intelligence level (sometimes highly intelligent persons are not well adjusted).
Zero correlation: Indicates that no relation exists between the two variables (e.g. intelligence and adjustment may not be related)
Advantages:
- It can be used when variables can't be manipulated.
- When it is unethical to manipulate the variable, correlation is used.
- It can be used when event has already taken place (e.g. any natural disaster).
- It can be used to study behaviour in a natural setting.
- It can yield a large amount of data in a short time.
- It can be exerted to include many different variables at once.
Limitations:
- Correlation does not establish cause-effect relationship between two variables.
- It is not very objective since it is not done in controlled conditions.
- Interpretation of data should be done with great care and expertise.