Solved – How many correlations are too many

correlation

Following my earlier posts here, here and here, I understand the dangers of 'fishing' for a significant correlation. I also understand the 'problem' of running several correlations on the same data set.

However, I am testing the relationship between variables A and B by several demographic characteristics, so I cannot help but run several correlation tests. For example, on gender I have 2 correlation tests (one for male and one for female), on age I have 3 correlation tests (one for less than 18 years, one for 18 to 44 years and one for over 45 years), on marital status, I have 3 correlation tests (one for married, one for never married and one for other).

With all the concerns expressed in the earlier posts, is there anything I am missing on the use of Pearson r?

Remember, I am just focusing on the relationship between A and B by demographic characteristics of the respondents. Is there an alternative way to test this relationship?

Best Answer

If one variable (A or B) is "dependent" and the other is "independent" then you could use regression with all the demographic variables in the equation as well, and possibly interactions between the main independent variable and the demographic variables.

The former will control for the effects of the the demographic variables; the latter will, in addition, look for differences in the relationship between A and B at different levels of the demographic variables.