In a study, the correlation coefficient indicates a strong positive relationship when?

The correlation coefficient measures the strength and direction of a linear relationship between two variables. It ranges from -1 to 1, providing insight into how closely related two variables are. A coefficient that is close to 1 indicates a strong positive relationship, meaning that as one variable increases, the other variable tends to also increase significantly. This strong positive association shows that the two variables move in the same direction.

When the coefficient is exactly 1, it represents a perfect positive correlation, indicating that every increase in one variable is matched by a proportional increase in the other. Therefore, the choice stating that the coefficient is close to 1 effectively captures a strong positive relationship, reinforcing the notion of closely linked variables. In contrast, a coefficient close to 0 implies a weak or no linear relationship, while a negative coefficient suggests an inverse relationship, where one variable increases as the other decreases.