If a correlation coefficient has an associated probability value of .02 then:
A)The hypothesis has been proven.
B)There is only a 2% chance that we would get a correlation coefficient this big (or bigger) if the null hypothesis were true.
C)The results are important.
D)We should accept the null hypothesis.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A probability value (also known as p-value) of .02 means that there is only a 2% chance of obtaining a correlation coefficient as large or larger just by chance if the null hypothesis (which states that there is no correlation between the variables) were true. This suggests that the correlation coefficient is statistically significant, but it does not "prove" anything. Additionally, the significance of the result should be evaluated in the context of the research question and relevant effect sizes. C and D are not necessarily true or relevant based on this information alone.

If a Correlation Coefficient Has an Associated Probability Value of .02