Correlation

Definition

Correlation in the context of sociological research is a statistical measure that describes the size and direction of a relationship between two or more variables. It does not imply causation but indicates how likely variables are to change together.

Related terms

Variable: A variable is any characteristic, number, or quantity that can be measured or quantified.

Causation:

Causation indicates a relationship where one event is the result of the occurrence of another event; it implies that changes in one variable bring about changes in another.

Statistical significance: Statistical significance is a determination by an analyst that the results observed in data are not due to chance alone