A Level Psychology OCR Practice Exam

Which community variable had a slight negative correlation but was not significant?

1. Pace of life

2. Population density

3. Gender ratio

4. Economic stability

The correct answer is: Pace of life

The variable identified, which is the pace of life, indicates that there was a slight negative correlation with the specific outcome being studied, but it was not statistically significant. This suggests that while there may be a trend indicating that as the pace of life increases, a certain outcome could potentially decrease, this relationship lacks sufficient strength to be generalized beyond the sample studied. In psychological research, a correlation refers to a relationship between two variables, where one may affect the other. However, if a correlation is not significant, it means that any observed relationship could be due to chance rather than a true underlying connection. The pace of life is often studied in psychological and sociological contexts, particularly in how it might impact stress levels, community interactions, or overall well-being. The other options – population density, gender ratio, and economic stability – may showcase different patterns of correlation, including those that are significant. They might not exhibit a slight negative correlation, or the strength of their correlation might render them statistically significant, thus indicating a meaningful relationship that could be further explored. In this case, focusing on pace of life highlights how certain community variables may interact with psychological perceptions or outcomes to varying degrees of correlation and significance.