Page 244 - DSOC404_METHODOLOGY_OF_SOCIAL_RESEARCH_ENGLISH

Methodology of Social Research

notes in the demand of a product, its price also increases; the more it rains the greater is the production;
increase in the currency rate increases the price; the height of children increases with the increase in
their age and heat increases with increase in sunshine. from these examples it is clear that demand of
a product and its price; rain and production; currency rate and price of a commodity; age and height
and sunrays and heat have some or the other relationship among them because if there is a change
in any one then it affects the other; therefore it is said that sometimes there is an inter-dependence
between two categories of facts. the change or alteration in one category affects the other category.
two categories are as such related that any change in one category affects the other category i.e. any
increase or decrease in one category leads to a change in other category in same or reverse direction
and also they have a casual relationship among them then they are known as correlation.
From the above definition it is clear that to have mutual relationship between two state-categories
only having mutual alterations is not sufficient but these alterations must be because of one another.
if it is not as such then however the changes between the two variables or categories may seem to be
related but they will not be correlated. in other words it can be said that, “if price of other variable
changes because of the change in first variable, then the two variables can be said as correlated.” If
because of the increase in the prices of kerosene, the price of petrol also increases then due to casual
relationship these two would be termed as correlated. But if the price of rice increases along with
the increase in price of kerosene then this would not be termed as correlation because of the lack of
casual relationship between the two.
that is why Prof. elhans has written that correlation points towards such a relation between two
variables in which a change in the price of one variable also changes the price of the other variable.
This would become clearer after reading the definitions given by various scholars.

Task What is subject-matter correlation? Briefly describe.

29.2 Definitions of Correlation

According to Prof. King, “the casual relationship between two groups is known as correlation.” in
another place he has defined co-relation in different manner and writes, “if this truth is proven that
in most of the areas two variables increase or decrease in same or opposite direction then we consider
that a fact has been determined and there is a relationship between them. this relationship is termed
as correlation.

Notes in the words of Prof. Bowley, “When two results are related such that any change
in the first results in the change in the second, such that an increase or decrease
in one results in a reverse increase or decrease in the second, or and the quantity
of change in the first is equal to the second, then the two results are said to be
co-related.”

Conner has written, “When two or more results change into a relationship such that any change in
the first results in a change in the second then they are said to be correlated.”

238 loVely professional uniVersity