In the results and conclusions sections of a research paper about pre-delinquent behavior,

Question

the researcher mentions the strong correlational relationship between the number of incidents of pre-delinquent behavior and the number of hours the mother works outside the home. What does the author imply by stating this? (Select all that apply.)
a. Some sort of test of correlation was performed and it reached statistical significance.
b. As number of hours worked outside the home varied, so did the frequency of incidents of pre-delinquent behavior.
c. Having a mother work many hours outside the home causes pre-delinquent behavior.
d. Incidents of pre-delinquent behavior cause mothers to work more and more hours outside the home.
e. As number of hours worked outside the home increased, so did the frequency of incidents of pre-delinquent behavior.
f. The researchers avoided a type II error, in relation to the association between these two variables.
g. The researchers operationalized the two study variables.

Answer 1

ANS: A, B, F, G
Correlational analysis provides two pieces of information about the data: the nature or direction of the linear relationship (positive or negative) between the two variables and the magnitude (or strength) of the linear relationship. No direction of relationship is stated here—merely the fact that the variables are strongly correlated, meaning that as one varied, the other varied. Since the relationship between these two variables was statistically significant, no type II error occurred. The probability of failing to reject the null hypothesis when it is in fact false is called type II error, and it is related to using a sample that is of insufficient size. Operationalization of a variable indicates how it will be measured or manipulated in a study; without operationalization, no measurement can occur.