by Correlation can be defined as a statistical tool that defines the relationship between two variables. For, eg: correlation may be used to define the relationship between the price of a good and its quantity demanded. It explains how two variables are related but do not explain any cause-effect relation. It only gives an understanding as to the direction and intensity of relation between two variables. Correlation can be of two types:
A) Positive Correlation
A correlation in the same direction is called a positive correlation. If one variable increases the other also increases and when one variable decreases the other also decreases. For example, the length of an iron bar will increase as the temperature increases.
Two variables are positively correlated when they move together in the same direction. In economics, quantity supplied increases as the price increases. This is because sellers find it profitable to sell when the prices are high, so they will sell more. Thus, we can call price and quantity supplied to be positively correlated. This is also called the law of supply.
B) Negative Correlation
Correlation in the opposite direction is called a negative correlation. Here if one variable increases the other decreases and vice versa. For example, the volume of gas will decrease as the pressure increases, or the demand for a particular commodity increases as the price of such commodity decreases.
Two variables are negatively correlated if they move in opposite directions. For instance, as the price of increases, the quantity demanded declines as the good becomes more expensive relative to when the price had not increased. Thus, we can say that price and quantity demanded are negatively correlated. Note that this is the famous law of demand.
C) No Correlation or Zero Correlation
If there is no relationship between the two variables such that the value of one variable changes and the other variable remains constant, it is called no or zero correlation.
Simple, Partial and Multiple Correlation: Whether the correlation is simple, partial or multiple depends on the number of variables studied. The correlation is said to be simple when only two variables are studied. The correlation is either multiple or partial when three or more variables are studied. The correlation is said to be Multiple when three variables are studied simultaneously. Such as, if we want to study the relationship between the yield of wheat per acre and the amount of fertilizers and rainfall used, then it is a problem of multiple correlations.
Whereas, in the case of a partial correlation we study more than two variables, but consider only two among them that would be influencing each other such that the effect of the other influencing variable is kept constant. Such as, in the above example, if we study the relationship between the yield and fertilizers used during the periods when certain average temperature existed, then it is a problem of partial correlation.
