Correlational Research, Essay Example

Correlation is relevant in a study when statistics hold variations that involve dependence. An example of a study using correlation is a journal article from Developmental Psychology entitledSociocultural and Individual Psychological Predictors of Body Image in Young Girls: A Prospective Study.Among adolescent girls, body image concerns are not uncommon. The hypothesis of a study relating media and the perceptions of adolescent girls believes that media negatively affects the body image concerns of adolescent girls (Clark &Tiggeman, 2008). The independent variable is the adolescent girls and the dependent variable is the media. This is because adolescent girls can be affected by a lot of other things when it concerns body image, this can come in the form of their peers, society and even history. These variables can affect the concerns on body image of adolescent girls in both a positive and a negative way. However, this paper will only discuss the negative affects which body images are supplied by media to adolescent girls with.The theoretical approach which best suits this study is the Psychodynamic Approach. This is because the concerns regarding body images are implanted in the minds of these adolescent girls unconsciously.

The researchers used this method because of the strong structure of these relationships. These adolescent girls are being influenced by underlying messages which they might pick up from the media, and this affects how they may see themselves. The correlation between the two is quite clear. It is not of the case whether the media is portraying body image this way intentionally or unintentionally; it is the fact that they do, and how it negatively affects the perspectives in adolescence girls when they view themselves (Clark &Tiggeman, 2008).

There is a growing discontent seen in adolescent girls concerned with their body image, this discontent is alarmingly considered to be normative (Dohnt&Tiggemann, 2006). Media has been said to be directly related to eating pathology (Anschutz, Van Strien& Engels, 2008). Studies have shown that there is a direct connection to concerns with body image seen in adolescent girls and the affects media has. However, the limitation in these conclusions are seen where these types of media images reach. There are different cultures who value different body images and these images might not be the same. Although, these affects in the research are seen as negative, because they result in the development of eating disorders and depression among adolescent girls. The idea of the “perfect” body image a woman has is unrealistically thin as portrayed by the media, and is a very unhealthy example to set for adolescent girls though limited to Western cultures and the media cult within those borders (Cheng & Mallinckrodt, 2009). Because of this influence, the individual is not only affected, body image concerns spread throughout peer groups and affects adolescent girls as well as their circle of friends. The affects of media in the concerns of body image seen in adolescent girls is no doubt negative. The limitations seen here lie within the stereotype for adolescent girls and the culture that influences them. For girls who do not have access to these types of mediums, the conclusion does not hold stable.

A positive correlation is one that receives a value of one or higher. If this was seen in the form of a graph, it would have a positive slope. Zero correlation would result in a horizontal or vertical straight line, whereas a negative correlation would result in a negative slope. In the article, the positive correlation is seen in the number of girls who are affected by media images. These relationships show that the hypothesis does prove true and that the number of negative image perceptions.

When some correlations are strong, though non-linear, these can be seen through scatter-points. The easiest way for researchers to go about this is to transform one or more of the variables to change the curve, whether increasing or decreasing. One option seen is squeezing together certain values that will transform the correlation between two variables. After doing this, it would be possible to identify some type of function that can be seen as best describing the curve of the graph. This would be the best way to see the characteristics of the data found, and will allow for testing. Alternatively, researchers can go the opposite way and divide the variables instead of combining them. By doing this, the new variables will be easier to group and will be easier to test. These new variables can act as a grouping variable and will allow for analysis of the variance seen in the correlation.

The ceiling affect is an issue, and can disturb the correlation from being discovered because it is not remarkable enough. When the variables are tested after grouping, the scores will not increase because the highest score has already been reached. The test, therefore is very limited and this becomes a problem in terms of measurement. There are no ways to identify changes, and the study becomes limited in terms of finding correlations or other values between variables. The floor effect is another limitation and issue regarding correlation values. This is when data cannot go below a particular number for a test. If there is a worsening in behavior, this information or data will not register since there are no items that scale below that particular value. This limits the study in the same way as the ceiling effect.

References

Anschutz, D.J., Van Strien, T., & Engels, R.C. (2008). Exposure to Slim Images in Mass Media:           Television Commercials asReminders of Restriction in Restrained Eaters. Health Psychology. 27(4); 401-408.

Cheng, H.L. & Mallinckrodt (2009). Parental Bonds, Anxious Attachment, Media Internalization, and BodyImage Dissatisfaction: Exploring a Mediation Model. Journal of Counseling Psychology. 56(5); 365-375.

Clark, L., &Tiggemann, M. (2008). Sociocultural and Individual Psychological Predictors of Body Image inYoung Girls: A Prospective Study. Developmental Psychology. 44(4); 1124-1134.

Dohnt, H. &Tiggemann, M. (2006). The Contribution of Peer and Media Influences to the         Development ofBody Satisfaction and Self-Esteem in Young Girls: A Prospective Study.        Developmental Psychology. 42(5); 929-936.