Short Answer

A health psychologist is planning a study and expects to find a positive correlation between patients' stress levels and their physical symptoms. If a patient's stress levels decrease over the course of the study, what prediction should the psychologist make regarding the frequency of the patient's physical symptoms, and why? Limit your response to one to three sentences.

Question: A health psychologist is planning a study and expects to find a positive correlation between patients' stress levels and their physical symptoms. If a patient's stress levels decrease over the course of the study, what prediction should the psychologist make regarding the frequency of the patient's physical symptoms, and why? Limit your response to one to three sentences.

Sample answer: The psychologist should predict that the frequency of physical symptoms will also decrease. This is because a positive correlation indicates that variables move in the same direction, meaning a decrease in stress scores will correspond to a decrease in physical symptoms.

Key points:

  • Predict a decrease or lower frequency of physical symptoms.
  • Apply the concept of a positive correlation to a scenario of decreasing values.
  • Explain that variables in a positive relationship move in the same direction.

Rubric: The answer must predict a decrease in physical symptoms and justify this prediction by applying the definition of positive correlation (variables moving in the same direction).

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Updated 2026-05-27

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Research Methods in Psychology - 4th American Edition @ KPU

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