Definition

1. Noun:
   • A statistical relationship between two or more variables: A connection where systematic changes in one variable are consistently associated with systematic changes in another. This does not imply that one change causes the other.
   • A specific statistical measure: A number, typically between -1 and +1, that quantifies the degree and direction of the linear relationship between two variables.
   • A mutual or reciprocal connection: A situation where two or more things are related or connected in a way that is often complementary or interdependent.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • Researchers studied the correlation between exercise frequency and heart health.
  • The correlation coefficient of +0.85 indicates a strong positive relationship.
  • There is a clear correlation between investment in education and a country's economic development.

Advanced Usage

• "Correlation does not imply causation": A fundamental principle in statistics and research, warning that just because two variables are correlated, it does not mean one causes the other.

  • The study found a correlation between ice cream sales and drowning incidents, but this is likely due to a third variable (hot weather), not causation.

• "Spurious correlation": A relationship between two variables that appears to be causal but is actually coincidental or caused by a confounding factor.

  • The apparent correlation between the number of pirates and global warming is a classic example of a spurious correlation.

Variants and Related Words

• Correlate (verb): To have a mutual relationship or connection.
  • Stress levels often correlate with workload.
• Correlate (noun): Either of two related or complementary things.
  • Smoking is a known correlate of lung disease.
• Correlative (adjective): Having a mutual relationship.
  • They studied correlative trends in the data.
• Correlation coefficient (noun phrase): The specific numerical measure of correlation, such as Pearson's r.

Synonyms

• Association: A connection or relationship between things.
• Relationship: The way in which two or more things are connected.
• Link: A connection between two or more things.
• Interdependence: The dependence of two or more things on each other.

Related Phrases

• Positive correlation: A relationship where both variables increase or decrease together.
  • There is a positive correlation between study time and exam scores.
• Negative correlation: A relationship where one variable increases as the other decreases.
  • There is a negative correlation between hours of video gaming and sleep duration.
• Zero correlation: A situation where there is no linear relationship between variables.
  • The data showed a zero correlation between shoe size and intelligence.

Noun

1. a statistical relation between two or more variables such that systematic changes in the value of one variable are accompanied by systematic changes in the other
2. a statistic representing how closely two variables co-vary; it can vary from -1 (perfect negative correlation) through 0 (no correlation) to +1 (perfect positive correlation)
   • what is the correlation between those two variables?
3. a reciprocal relation between two or more things