Correlation

PIOVANI, J. I.

The Blackwell Encyclopedia of Sociology

John Wiley & Sons

Lugar: Chichester; Año: 2019; p. 1 - 3

This entry presents a general overview of correlation in the social sciences. It first defines the concept and introduces the main operative instrument for correlational analysis: the correlation coefficient. In addition, it describes the different forms that the relationship between two variables may assume in terms of its degree and direction. The historical significance of correlation for social research and the most important milestones in the development of the theory of correlation are also highlighted. Finally, some key issues concerning the application of correlational analysis to different types of variables, and the interpretation of the coefficient that expresses the relationship quantitatively, are discussed.