For which of these research situations would you MOST likely calculate a correlation coefficient?
A) independent variable = type of car owned; dependent variable = money spent on gasoline per week
B) independent variable = age; dependent variable = reaction time in milliseconds
C) independent variable = city of residence; dependent variable = miles driven per week
D) independent variable = college major; dependent variable = type of car owned

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Correlation coefficient is used to determine the strength and direction of the association between two continuous variables. In this case, the independent variable (age) and dependent variable (reaction time) are both continuous variables and could be analyzed using a correlation coefficient. A, C, and D also involve continuous variables but do not necessarily require a correlation coefficient for analysis.

For Which of These Research Situations Would You MOST Likely