SPSS Exercises
SPSS
- Using the MIDUS2011 data, let’s see if there is a correlation between life satisfaction and two continuous, independent variables such as age and income. To do this:
- From the menu, select Analyze > Correlate > Bivariate
- Drag the variables RA1SR1, RA1PB16, and RA1PRAGE to the box labeled “variables”
- Check the box labeled “Pearson” under Correlation Coefficients
- Be sure the “flag significant coefficients” box is also checked.
- What did you find? Is either of your independent variables correlated with life satisfaction?
- Might one of the associations you have just identified be spurious because of the effect of a third variable? What might such an extraneous variable be? Look through the variable list and find a variable that might play this role.
Online Analysis
- Using the MIDUS2011 data online analysis tool, let’s see if there is a correlation between life satisfaction and two continuous, independent variables such as age and income. To do this:
- At the top banner, select Analysis > Correlation Matrix
- Type the variables RA1SR1, RA1PB16, and RA1PRAGE into the boxes under “Variables to Correlate”
- Check to be sure that the box beside “Main statistic to display” says “Pearson correlation”
- Hit Run Correlation.
- What did you find? Is either of your independent variables correlated with life satisfaction?
- Might one of the associations you have just identified be spurious because of the effect of a third variable? What might such an extraneous variable be? Look through the variable codebook and find a variable that might play this role.