Significance of correlation coefficients

[Rita-6]

I used Pearson's r in my dissertation. I see the significance shown in
SPSS output tables, but I need to be able to describe how that
significance was determined by SPSS. If you could send me the formula used
and a source I could cite it would really help me out.

[JOHN ANTONAKIS]

Hi:

You can get this information from a basic stats book. The
significance of the correlation coefficient is determined
(i.e. test the null hypothesis that correlation is = 0)
using a t-test:

t =r(sqrt(n-2))/(sqrt(1-r2))

The significance of t is established at df n-2.

HTH,
J.

----- Original Message -----
Expéditeur: Rita <[hidden email]>
à: [hidden email]
Sujet: Significance of correlation coefficients
Date: Fri, 8 Dec 2006 18:06:11 -0500

> I used Pearson's r in my dissertation. I see the
> significance shown in SPSS output tables, but I need to be
> able to describe how that significance was determined by
> SPSS. If you could send me the formula used and a source I
> could cite it would really help me out.

___________________________________

Prof. John Antonakis
Faculty of Management and Economics
University of Lausanne
Internef #527
CH-1015 Lausanne-Dorigny
Switzerland

Tel: ++41 (0)21 692-3438
Fax: ++41 (0)21 692-3305

http://www.hec.unil.ch/jantonakis
___________________________________

[statisticsdoc]

Rita,

The significance of a correlation is computed using a t-test.  Here is a
link with the formula for the t-value of a correlation (along with a handy
calculator):

http://vassun.vassar.edu/~lowry/rsig.html

Please note that SPSS assumes that you are testing the null hypothesis that
the population correlation (rho) is zero.

HTH,

Stephen Brand

For personalized and professional consultation in statistics and research
design, visit
www.statisticsdoc.com


-----Original Message-----
From: SPSSX(r) Discussion [mailto:[hidden email]]On Behalf Of
Rita
Sent: Friday, December 08, 2006 6:06 PM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: Significance of correlation coefficients


I used Pearson's r in my dissertation. I see the significance shown in
SPSS output tables, but I need to be able to describe how that
significance was determined by SPSS. If you could send me the formula used
and a source I could cite it would really help me out.

[Melissa Ives]

You can check SPSS's algorithms by looking for the topic in the folder
where your SPSS was installed (provided you also installed the help
items) C:\Program Files\SPSS\Help\algorithms.  There is a file called
correlations.pdf

Melissa

-----Original Message-----
From: SPSSX(r) Discussion [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of
Rita
Sent: Friday, December 08, 2006 5:06 PM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: [SPSSX-L] Significance of correlation coefficients

I used Pearson's r in my dissertation. I see the significance shown in
SPSS output tables, but I need to be able to describe how that
significance was determined by SPSS. If you could send me the formula
used and a source I could cite it would really help me out.



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