The more a correlation deviates from zero,
A) the more it is certain to be positive in sign
B) the more it is certain to be negative in sign
C) the more it is certain that the measured variables are independent of each other
D) the better its predictive accuracy

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A correlation coefficient measures the strength and direction of a linear relationship between two variables. The closer the correlation coefficient is to -1 or 1, the stronger the relationship, thus improving predictive accuracy. Choices A, B, and C are incorrect because the sign (positive or negative) of the correlation indicates the direction of the relationship, not its strength or predictive accuracy, and a correlation deviating from zero does not imply variables are independent; in fact, it suggests they are related.

The More a Correlation Deviates from Zero