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Point-biserial correlation coefficient

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1215:: (i) the Pearson correlation between item scores and total test scores including the item scores, (ii) the Pearson correlation between item scores and total test scores excluding the item scores, and (iii) a correlation adjusted for the bias caused by the inclusion of item scores in the test scores. Correlation (iii) is 57:
can either be "naturally" dichotomous, like whether a coin lands heads or tails, or an artificially dichotomized variable. In most situations it is not advisable to dichotomize variables artificially. When a new variable is artificially dichotomized the new dichotomous variable may be conceptualized
1407:
becomes more unequal. To get round this, we note that the coefficient will have its largest value where the smallest ranks are all opposite the 0s and the largest ranks are opposite the 1s. Its smallest value occurs where the reverse is the case. These values are respectively plus and minus
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dichotomously scored items. A statistic of interest (which is a discrimination index) is the correlation between responses to a given item and the corresponding total test scores. There are three computations in wide use, all called the
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are respectively the means of the ranks corresponding to the 1 and 0 scores of the dichotomous variable. This formula, which simplifies the calculation from the counting of agreements and inversions, is due to Gene V Glass (1966).
232: 1156: 1002: 893:
We can test the null hypothesis that the correlation is zero in the population. A little algebra shows that the usual formula for assessing the significance of a correlation coefficient, when applied to
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is useful if one is calculating point-biserial correlation coefficients in a programming language or other development environment where there is a function available for calculating
1221: 1422:)/2. We can therefore use the reciprocal of this value to rescale the difference between the observed mean ranks on to the interval from plus one to minus one. The result is 573: 251: 428: 124: 1042: 1403:
is continuous but it would have the same disadvantage that the range of values it can take on becomes more constrained as the distribution of
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It is possible to use this to test the null hypothesis of zero correlation in the population from which the sample was drawn. If
1428: 1824: 66: 883:{\displaystyle {\frac {(M_{1}-M_{0})^{2}}{\sum _{i=1}^{n}(X_{i}-{\overline {X}})^{2}}}\left({\frac {n_{1}n_{0}}{n}}\right)\,.} 1629: 1552: 1008: 1391:
A slightly different version of the point biserial coefficient is the rank biserial which occurs where the variable
1381:{\displaystyle r_{upb}={\frac {M_{1}-M_{0}-1}{\sqrt {{\frac {n^{2}s_{n}^{2}}{n_{1}n_{0}}}-2(M_{1}-M_{0})+1}}}.} 110:
has the two values 0 and 1. If we divide the data set into two groups, group 1 which received the value "1" on
395:
is the total sample size. This formula is a computational formula that has been derived from the formula for
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can be assumed to be normally distributed, a better descriptive index is given by the biserial coefficient
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is from 50/50, the more constrained will be the range of values which the coefficient can take. If
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MacCallum, Robert C., et al. 2002. On the Practice of Dichotomization of Quantitative Variables.
1191:. This is not easy to calculate, and the biserial coefficient is not widely used in practice. 1762: 1169:
with zero mean and unit variance at the point which divides the distribution into proportions
681:{\displaystyle s_{n-1}={\sqrt {{\frac {1}{n-1}}\sum _{i=1}^{n}(X_{i}-{\overline {X}})^{2}}}.} 1758: 567:
is the standard deviation used when data are available only for a sample of the population:
91:. This can be shown by assigning two distinct numerical values to the dichotomous variable. 1028:
One disadvantage of the point biserial coefficient is that the further the distribution of
346:{\displaystyle s_{n}={\sqrt {{\frac {1}{n}}\sum _{i=1}^{n}(X_{i}-{\overline {X}})^{2}}}\,,} 244:
is the standard deviation used when data are available for every member of the population:
547:{\displaystyle r_{pb}={\frac {M_{1}-M_{0}}{s_{n-1}}}{\sqrt {\frac {n_{1}n_{0}}{n(n-1)}}},} 227:{\displaystyle r_{pb}={\frac {M_{1}-M_{0}}{s_{n}}}{\sqrt {\frac {n_{1}n_{0}}{n^{2}}}},} 1818: 1751: 17: 1151:{\displaystyle r_{b}={\frac {M_{1}-M_{0}}{s_{n-1}}}{\frac {n_{1}n_{0}}{n^{2}u}},} 728:
Also the square of the point biserial correlation coefficient can be written:
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is dichotomous. We could calculate the coefficient in the same way as where
118:, then the point-biserial correlation coefficient is calculated as follows: 50: 402:
in order to reduce steps in the calculation; it is easier to compute than
1783: 725:, (3rd Edition) contains a correct version of point biserial formula. 997:{\displaystyle r_{pb}{\sqrt {\frac {n_{1}+n_{0}-2}{1-r_{pb}^{2}}}}} 65:
The point-biserial correlation is mathematically equivalent to the
1784:"The Expected Value of a Point-Biserial (or Similar) Correlation" 27:
Correlation coefficient used when one variable is dichotomous
1511:{\displaystyle r_{rb}=2{\frac {M_{1}-M_{0}}{n_{1}+n_{0}}},} 58:
as having an underlying continuity. If this is the case, a
1025:− 2) degrees of freedom when the null hypothesis is true. 1198:
is the sum of a number of dichotomous variables of which
69:; that is, if we have one continuously measured variable 1632: 1555: 1431: 1224: 1194:
A specific case of biserial correlation occurs where
1045: 917: 737: 576: 431: 254: 127: 1750: 1689: 1612: 1510: 1380: 1150: 996: 882: 680: 546: 345: 226: 1690:{\displaystyle (1-r_{rb}){\frac {n_{1}n_{0}}{2}}} 1613:{\displaystyle (1+r_{rb}){\frac {n_{1}n_{0}}{2}}} 1206:is a person's total score on a test composed of 362:being the mean value on the continuous variable 67:Pearson (product moment) correlation coefficient 1753:Statistical Methods in Education and Psychology 723:Statistical Methods in Education and Psychology 1749:Gene V. Glass and Kenneth D. Hopkins (1995). 901:, is the same as the formula for an unpaired 8: 711:, but no function available for calculating 391:is the number of data points in group 2 and 114:and group 2 which received the value "0" on 1546:is calculated as above then the smaller of 62:would be the more appropriate calculation. 377:for all data points in group 2. Further, 373:the mean value on the continuous variable 1675: 1665: 1658: 1646: 1631: 1598: 1588: 1581: 1569: 1554: 1496: 1483: 1471: 1458: 1451: 1436: 1430: 1357: 1344: 1322: 1312: 1300: 1295: 1285: 1278: 1264: 1251: 1244: 1229: 1223: 1133: 1121: 1111: 1104: 1090: 1079: 1066: 1059: 1050: 1044: 984: 976: 952: 939: 931: 922: 916: 876: 860: 850: 843: 830: 816: 807: 794: 783: 771: 761: 748: 738: 736: 667: 653: 644: 631: 620: 598: 596: 581: 575: 511: 501: 493: 479: 468: 455: 448: 436: 430: 412:There is an equivalent formula that uses 384:is the number of data points in group 1, 339: 331: 317: 308: 295: 284: 270: 268: 259: 253: 212: 201: 191: 183: 175: 164: 151: 144: 132: 126: 1741: 106:, assume that the dichotomous variable 32:point biserial correlation coefficient 1202:is one. An example of this is where 7: 366:for all data points in group 1, and 1718:when the null hypothesis is true. 25: 691:The version of the formula using 1788:Rasch Measurement Transactions 1655: 1633: 1578: 1556: 1363: 1337: 827: 800: 768: 741: 664: 637: 534: 522: 328: 301: 1: 45:used when one variable (e.g. 821: 658: 322: 73:and a dichotomous variable 1841: 1809:Point Biserial Coefficient 1213:point-biserial correlation 1395:consists of ranks while 1009:Student's t-distribution 721:Glass and Hopkins' book 1165:is the ordinate of the 43:correlation coefficient 1825:Correlation indicators 1782:Linacre, John (2008). 1691: 1614: 1512: 1382: 1152: 998: 884: 799: 682: 636: 548: 347: 300: 228: 1811:(Keith Calkins, 2005) 1729:Psychological Methods 1692: 1615: 1513: 1383: 1153: 999: 885: 779: 683: 616: 549: 348: 280: 229: 1630: 1553: 1429: 1222: 1043: 915: 735: 574: 429: 252: 125: 60:biserial correlation 18:Biserial correlation 1305: 1167:normal distribution 989: 1704:with sample sizes 1700:is distributed as 1687: 1610: 1508: 1378: 1291: 1148: 994: 972: 880: 678: 544: 343: 224: 1759:Allyn & Bacon 1685: 1608: 1503: 1373: 1372: 1329: 1143: 1102: 992: 991: 870: 837: 824: 673: 661: 614: 539: 538: 491: 337: 325: 278: 219: 218: 181: 16:(Redirected from 1832: 1796: 1795: 1779: 1773: 1772: 1757:(3rd ed.). 1756: 1746: 1696: 1694: 1693: 1688: 1686: 1681: 1680: 1679: 1670: 1669: 1659: 1654: 1653: 1619: 1617: 1616: 1611: 1609: 1604: 1603: 1602: 1593: 1592: 1582: 1577: 1576: 1517: 1515: 1514: 1509: 1504: 1502: 1501: 1500: 1488: 1487: 1477: 1476: 1475: 1463: 1462: 1452: 1444: 1443: 1387: 1385: 1384: 1379: 1374: 1362: 1361: 1349: 1348: 1330: 1328: 1327: 1326: 1317: 1316: 1306: 1304: 1299: 1290: 1289: 1279: 1277: 1276: 1269: 1268: 1256: 1255: 1245: 1240: 1239: 1157: 1155: 1154: 1149: 1144: 1142: 1138: 1137: 1127: 1126: 1125: 1116: 1115: 1105: 1103: 1101: 1100: 1085: 1084: 1083: 1071: 1070: 1060: 1055: 1054: 1003: 1001: 1000: 995: 993: 990: 988: 983: 964: 957: 956: 944: 943: 933: 932: 930: 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211: 204: 200: 194: 190: 178: 174: 167: 163: 159: 154: 150: 143: 138: 135: 131: 102: 96: 93: 87: 80: 37: 26: 24: 14: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1837: 1826: 1823: 1822: 1820: 1810: 1807: 1806: 1802: 1793: 1789: 1785: 1778: 1775: 1770: 1768:0-205-14212-5 1764: 1760: 1755: 1754: 1745: 1742: 1735: 1730: 1726: 1725: 1721: 1719: 1714: 1707: 1703: 1682: 1676: 1672: 1666: 1662: 1650: 1647: 1643: 1639: 1636: 1626: 1625: 1624: 1605: 1599: 1595: 1589: 1585: 1573: 1570: 1566: 1562: 1559: 1549: 1548: 1547: 1545: 1537: 1531: 1524: 1505: 1497: 1493: 1489: 1484: 1480: 1472: 1468: 1464: 1459: 1455: 1448: 1445: 1440: 1437: 1433: 1425: 1424: 1423: 1418: 1415: +  1411: 1406: 1402: 1398: 1394: 1375: 1369: 1366: 1358: 1354: 1350: 1345: 1341: 1334: 1331: 1323: 1319: 1313: 1309: 1301: 1296: 1292: 1286: 1282: 1273: 1270: 1265: 1261: 1257: 1252: 1248: 1241: 1236: 1233: 1230: 1226: 1218: 1217: 1216: 1214: 1209: 1205: 1201: 1197: 1192: 1190: 1183: 1179: 1172: 1168: 1164: 1145: 1139: 1134: 1130: 1122: 1118: 1112: 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61: 56: 52: 48: 44: 40: 33: 19: 1791: 1787: 1777: 1752: 1744: 1731:7(1): 19–40. 1728: 1712: 1705: 1699: 1622: 1540: 1538: 1529: 1522: 1520: 1416: 1409: 1404: 1400: 1396: 1392: 1390: 1212: 1207: 1203: 1199: 1195: 1193: 1188: 1181: 1177: 1170: 1162: 1160: 1033: 1029: 1027: 1019: 1012: 1006: 903: 895: 892: 727: 722: 720: 712: 706: 702: 696: 692: 690: 562: 558: 556: 417: 413: 411: 403: 396: 392: 385: 378: 374: 367: 363: 356: 355: 238: 236: 115: 111: 107: 100: 98: 85: 78: 74: 70: 64: 54: 46: 35: 31: 29: 95:Calculation 51:dichotomous 1794:(1): 1154. 1736:References 1640:− 1465:− 1351:− 1332:− 1271:− 1258:− 1095:− 1073:− 970:− 959:− 822:¯ 814:− 781:∑ 755:− 659:¯ 651:− 618:∑ 608:− 586:− 529:− 484:− 462:− 323:¯ 315:− 282:∑ 158:− 1819:Category 1007:follows 709:−1 699:−1 565:−1 420:−1 908:and so 41:) is a 1765:  1521:where 1161:where 1011:with ( 557:where 237:where 1722:Notes 906:-test 49:) is 1763:ISBN 1711:and 1623:and 1528:and 1180:and 30:The 1821:: 1792:22 1790:. 1786:. 1761:. 1543:rb 898:pb 718:. 422:: 409:. 406:XY 399:XY 103:pb 88:pb 84:= 81:XY 77:, 53:; 38:pb 1771:. 1716:0 1713:n 1709:1 1706:n 1683:2 1677:0 1673:n 1667:1 1663:n 1656:) 1651:b 1648:r 1644:r 1637:1 1634:( 1606:2 1600:0 1596:n 1590:1 1586:n 1579:) 1574:b 1571:r 1567:r 1563:+ 1560:1 1557:( 1541:r 1533:0 1530:M 1526:1 1523:M 1506:, 1498:0 1494:n 1490:+ 1485:1 1481:n 1473:0 1469:M 1460:1 1456:M 1449:2 1446:= 1441:b 1438:r 1434:r 1420:0 1417:n 1413:1 1410:n 1408:( 1405:Y 1401:X 1397:Y 1393:X 1376:. 1370:1 1367:+ 1364:) 1359:0 1355:M 1346:1 1342:M 1338:( 1335:2 1324:0 1320:n 1314:1 1310:n 1302:2 1297:n 1293:s 1287:2 1283:n 1274:1 1266:0 1262:M 1253:1 1249:M 1242:= 1237:b 1234:p 1231:u 1227:r 1208:n 1204:X 1200:Y 1196:X 1189:n 1187:/ 1185:1 1182:n 1178:n 1176:/ 1174:0 1171:n 1163:u 1146:, 1140:u 1135:2 1131:n 1123:0 1119:n 1113:1 1109:n 1098:1 1092:n 1088:s 1081:0 1077:M 1068:1 1064:M 1057:= 1052:b 1048:r 1034:X 1030:Y 1023:0 1020:n 1018:+ 1016:1 1013:n 986:2 981:b 978:p 974:r 967:1 962:2 954:0 950:n 946:+ 941:1 937:n 927:b 924:p 920:r 904:t 896:r 878:. 873:) 868:n 862:0 858:n 852:1 848:n 841:( 832:2 828:) 819:X 809:i 805:X 801:( 796:n 791:1 788:= 785:i 773:2 769:) 763:0 759:M 750:1 746:M 742:( 715:n 713:s 707:n 703:s 697:n 693:s 676:. 669:2 665:) 656:X 646:i 642:X 638:( 633:n 628:1 625:= 622:i 611:1 605:n 601:1 594:= 589:1 583:n 579:s 563:n 559:s 542:, 535:) 532:1 526:n 523:( 520:n 513:0 509:n 503:1 499:n 487:1 481:n 477:s 470:0 466:M 457:1 453:M 446:= 441:b 438:p 434:r 418:n 414:s 404:r 397:r 393:n 389:0 386:n 382:1 379:n 375:X 371:0 368:M 364:X 360:1 357:M 341:, 333:2 329:) 320:X 310:i 306:X 302:( 297:n 292:1 289:= 286:i 276:n 273:1 266:= 261:n 257:s 241:n 239:s 222:, 214:2 210:n 203:0 199:n 193:1 189:n 177:n 173:s 166:0 162:M 153:1 149:M 142:= 137:b 134:p 130:r 116:Y 112:Y 108:Y 101:r 86:r 79:r 75:Y 71:X 55:Y 47:Y 36:r 34:( 20:)

Index

Biserial correlation
correlation coefficient
dichotomous
biserial correlation
Pearson (product moment) correlation coefficient
t-test
Student's t-distribution
normal distribution
Mann–Whitney U
Statistical Methods in Education and Psychology
Allyn & Bacon
ISBN
0-205-14212-5
"The Expected Value of a Point-Biserial (or Similar) Correlation"
Point Biserial Coefficient
Category
Correlation indicators

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