Learn Before
Example of a Negative Correlation: Stress and Immune System
A clear demonstration of a negative relationship is the association between individuals' stress levels and their immune system functioning. As a person's level of stress increases, their immune system functioning tends to decrease. This inverse pattern, where higher scores on one variable are associated with lower scores on another, is the defining characteristic of a negative correlation.
0
1
Tags
KPU
Research Methods in Psychology - 4th American Edition @ KPU
Related
Perfect Negative Correlation
Distinction Between Negative and No Correlation
Example of Negative Correlation: Sleep and GPA
Visual Example of Negative Correlation: Tiredness and Sleep
A researcher studying public health observes that in several cities, as the number of public parks and green spaces increases, the average reported stress level of the residents tends to decrease. Which of the following best describes this observed relationship?
A psychologist observes that as the number of hours a person spends exercising per week increases, their reported levels of stress tend to decrease. Which of the following best describes the relationship between weekly exercise hours and stress levels found in this observation?
Example of Negative Correlation: Stressful Life Events and Happiness
Example of Negative Correlation: Tiredness and Sleep
Example of Negative Correlation: Television and Exam Grades
Example of a Negative Relationship: The Last Name Effect
Which of the following best describes how a negative relationship appears on a scatterplot?
In a study on health psychology, a researcher finds a negative relationship between the number of hours of sleep participants get and their reported levels of daytime fatigue. This means that, according to the study, participants who slept more tended to report lower levels of fatigue.
A health psychology study identifies a negative relationship between 'daily physical exercise' and 'resting heart rate' (measured in beats per minute). Based on this relationship, arrange the following participants in order from the lowest predicted resting heart rate (at the top/position 1) to the highest predicted resting heart rate (at the bottom/position 4).
In a health psychology study, a researcher finds a negative relationship between 'Daily Exercise Duration' () and 'Resting Heart Rate' (). Match each specific observation with the aspect of negative correlation it characterizes.
Example of a Negative Correlation: Stress and Immune System
Match each type of correlation with the description that defines the relationship between its variables, as discussed in the context of psychological research.
In a study on psychological well-being, a researcher identifies a negative relationship between 'Level of Optimism' () and 'Reported Symptoms of Depression' (). Which of the following statements best interprets this result?
A researcher evaluates a study that mislabels the relationship between 'Study Time' () and 'Test Anxiety' () as a 'negative relationship.' The study reported that students who study more () also tend to have more anxiety (). The researcher correctly critiques this as a positive relationship, noting that a negative relationship requires that higher scores on one variable be associated with _____ scores on the other.
A researcher finds a negative relationship between stressful life events () and happiness (). According to this relationship, if a participant's score on stressful life events decreases, their predicted happiness score is expected to decrease as well.
An analyst notices that the data points on a scatterplot representing tiredness and hours of sleep generally trend downward from the upper left to the lower right of the graph. This visual pattern indicates that there is a _____ relationship between the two variables.
Evaluate the following scatterplot patterns and arrange them in order from the pattern that shows the strongest evidence of a negative relationship to the one that shows the weakest/no evidence of a negative relationship.
In the context of analyzing quantitative variables, briefly define what constitutes a 'negative relationship' (or negative correlation) between two variables, and describe how this relationship is visually represented on a scatterplot.
Based on the visual pattern in the scatterplot, diagnose the specific type of relationship present between stress levels and immune system functioning. Explain what this visual pattern means regarding how the scores of the two variables are associated in this study.
A researcher wants to illustrate a negative relationship between 'hours spent watching television per week' and 'midterm exam grades' for an introductory psychology class. If they construct a scatterplot for these two variables to reflect this specific relationship, predict the general visual trend the data points will form and state how the scores on these two variables will be associated.
Learn After
Which of the following best describes the negative correlation between individuals' stress levels and their immune system functioning?
Based on the negative correlation between stress and the immune system, match each variable state or relationship term with its corresponding description or outcome.
Research in health psychology has established a negative correlation between psychological stress and immune system functioning. Based on this relationship, arrange the following participants in order from the person predicted to have the strongest immune system functioning to the person predicted to have the weakest immune system functioning.
If a researcher's analysis of a sample reveals that participants with the lowest recorded levels of psychological stress also consistently exhibit the lowest scores on a measure of immune system functioning, this data pattern would be correctly categorized as a negative correlation.
A student reviewing a health psychology study evaluates the finding that 'lower levels of psychological stress are associated with higher levels of immune system activity' as a positive correlation because both variables are moving toward 'healthier' outcomes. To correctly evaluate the statistical relationship based on the direction of variable movement, the student must identify this as a ________ correlation.
Imagine you are a researcher tasked with creating a simplified dataset to illustrate the negative correlation between psychological stress and the immune system. Which of the following sets of hypothetical participant profiles correctly constructs this inverse relationship?
A researcher conducts a study and finds that as participants' self-reported stress levels increase, their scores on a measure of immune system functioning (such as antibody production) tend to decrease. Which of the following best explains why this relationship is classified as a negative correlation?
A researcher discovers that as individuals' stress levels increase, their immune system functioning scores consistently decrease. If the researcher concludes that this negative correlation provides sufficient evidence to evaluate stress as the direct cause of the decline in immune health, their reasoning is scientifically sound.
A health psychology researcher is studying the negative correlation between stress and immune system functioning. Based on this relationship, rank the following study participants from the one expected to have the HIGHEST immune system functioning (1) to the one expected to have the LOWEST (3).
Analyze the relationship between stress and the immune system by matching each description of the data with the specific concept it illustrates within their negative correlation.
The relationship between stress levels and immune system functioning is an example of a _____ correlation, because as stress increases, immune functioning tends to decrease.
Explain what it means for two variables to have a negative correlation, using the relationship between stress levels and immune system functioning as a clear example. Describe how changes in one variable correspond to changes in the other in this relationship.
Based on Dr. Aris's research design, if her hypothesis is supported, what specific pattern of results should she observe when comparing a student with high stress levels to a student with low stress levels? State what type of correlation this represents and justify your answer using the variables measured.
A researcher reports that in their study, participants who reported the highest levels of stress also exhibited the lowest scores on a measure of immune system functioning, while those with the lowest stress levels exhibited the highest immune functioning. Analyze this finding: does this pattern represent a positive or a negative correlation, and why?