SPSS: Correlation Assignment Instructions

Overview

This assignment is designed to increase your statistical literacy and proficiency in conducting and interpreting the Pearson correlation coefficient. You will be completing two Pearson correlation coefficient analyses in SPSS, using data that are related to specific research scenarios in the behavioral sciences, such as psychology, social work, and counseling. You will also be completing one Cumulative Knowledge Question that will use an analysis learned in a previous week. Behind the scenes knowledge of how this test is conducted is fundamental to being able to understand and apply research in your related field to your practice. Additionally, SPSS skills are professionally valuable, as it is one of the most commonly used statistical software packages in behavioral science settings, both academic and professional.

Instructions

  • This assignment includes three problem sets that contain research scenarios and related questions.
  • For each scenario, you will run an analysis in SPSS. The required product will include the SPSS output, an APA-style Results section describing the results, and the appropriate graph inserted as a Figure in APA style.
  • For all problems, interpret results based on an alpha level of a = .05.
  • This assignment is worth 90 points.

 

Review the SPSS Homework Tutorial in this module for directions on how to run the statistical test, as well as the Results Sections in APA Style presentation, which includes a template for completing the APA-style Results sections for the Pearson correlation coefficient. The scenarios begin on the next page.

Problem Set 1: Pearson Correlation Coefficient Analysis

Research Scenario: During intake sessions, a clinical psychologist specializing in treating snake phobia administers a measure of snake phobia called the Snake Questionnaire (SNAQ-12) (Zsido et al., 2018), as well as a standardized interview that measures generalized anxiety. She wants to determine whether there is a relationship between these two measures.

Using this table, enter the data into a new SPSS data file and run a Pearson correlation coefficient analysis to test whether there is a relationship between scores on the SNAQ-12 and the anxiety interview in patients being assessed for snake phobia. Create a scatterplot to display the relationship between the variables. Follow the directions below the table to complete the homework.
SNAQ-12 Anxiety Interview

Scores
10 6
8 3
11 5
7 13
7 2
9 6
10 5
10 8
8 3
9 4
11 2
9 2
10 6
7 10
8 7

 

  1. Paste SPSS output. (10 pts)
  2. Write an APA-style Results section based on your analysis. Include your scatterplot as an APA-style Figure, with figure number and title, as demonstrated in the Results Section presentation. (Results = 12 pts; Figure = 8 pts)
Problem Set 2: Pearson Correlation Coefficient Analysis

Research Scenario: An organizational psychologist would like to determine whether there is a relationship between managers’ evaluations of employees and peer evaluations of the same employees. He is specifically interested in evaluations of leadership potential (L.P.). He collects manager and peer evaluations of the leadership potential of 28 employees. Higher scores indicate higher ratings of leadership potential, and the scores for both ratings can range from 1-16. These scores are listed in the table below.

Using this table, enter the data into a new SPSS data file and run a Pearson correlation coefficient analysis to test whether there is a relationship between manager and peer ratings of employee leadership potential. Create a scatterplot to display the relationship between the variables. Follow the directions below the table to complete the homework.
Manager Rating of L.P. Peer Rating of L.P.
6 9
3 4
5 7
13 14
8 11
6 8
5 6
8 9
3 6
4 5
2 3
2 2
6 9
10 12
7 10
12 15
1 2
5 7
3 5
9 11
5 4
8 7
7 9
4 8
3 4
9 9
5 7
3 3

 

  1. Paste SPSS output. (10 pts)
  2. Write an APA-style Results section based on your analysis. Include your scatterplot as an APA-style Figure, with figure number and title, as demonstrated in the Results Section presentation. (Results = 12 pts; Figure = 8 pts)
Problem Set 3: Cumulative Knowledge Question

Research Scenario: In response to media reports of violence on college campuses, a psychologist who works at a local community college decides to study students’ perceptions of campus safety. He hopes to use these results to help develop an on-campus violence prevention program. The administration has asked him additionally to look at whether perceptions of safety differ depending on students’ year in school and gender. The psychologist administers a questionnaire with possible scores ranging from 1-70, with higher scores indicating higher perceptions of safety on campus, and lower scores indicating perceptions that the campus is less safe. Based on the data collected below, do year in school and/or gender have an effect on perceptions of campus safety?

Using this table, enter the data into a new SPSS data file. Choose the correct analysis (it will be one learned in a previous module) to determine whether there is a difference in perceptions of safety depending on gender and year in school. Follow the directions below the table to complete this part.
 

 

 

 

Male

 Freshmen Sophomore Junior Senior
39

66

54

66

60

 44

32

62

59

29

 63

67

46

51

41

 45

53

68

57

60
 

 

Female

 51

46

45

57

32

 

 32

21

30

49

53

 56

52

60

47

59

 61

55

42

58

61

 

  1. Paste SPSS output. (10 pts)
  2. Write an APA-style Results section based on your analysis. Include your multiple line graph as an APA-style Figure, with figure number and title, as demonstrated in the Results Section presentation. (Results = 12 pts; Figure = 8 pts)

Submit this assignment by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Monday at the end of Module/Week 5.