Which of these correlation coefficients indicates the smallest amount of shared variance?
A) +0.91
B) −0.47
C) −1.23
D) +0.17
E) +1.33

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The shared variance between two variables is determined by the square of the correlation coefficient (r^2). The correlation coefficient ranges from -1 to +1, where values closer to -1 or +1 indicate a stronger relationship, and values closer to 0 indicate a weaker relationship. Therefore, +0.17 indicates the smallest amount of shared variance because it is the closest to 0 among the valid options. Note that -1.23 and +1.33 are not valid correlation coefficients because correlation coefficients cannot exceed 1 or be less than -1.

Which of These Correlation Coefficients Indicates the Smallest Amount of Shared