Why are curvilinear relationships hard to detect with correlation coefficients (r)?
A)Because curvilinear relationships require a large amount of scores
B)Because r always looks for the best straight line to fit the data
C)Because r always assumes a zero association
D)Because r always assumes a negative relationship

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Correlation coefficients (r) measure the strength and direction of a linear relationship between two variables. It looks for the best straight line to fit the data. Curvilinear relationships do not follow a straight line, and r may not detect these types of relationships. Therefore, B is the best choice.

Why Are Curvilinear Relationships Hard to Detect with Correlation Coefficients