Question

As part of a study on stress and its effects on aging, researchers measured telomere length in blood cells of healthy premenopausal women with chronically ill children.

Here is a link to the data set.

Question: What is the correlation coefficient for these variables? Calculate your answer using the function =correl(array 1, array2) in microsoft excel. Answer to three decimal places.

Years	Telomere Length
1	1.63
1	1.24
1	1.33
2	1.5
2	1.42
2	1.36
2	1.32
3	1.47
2	1.24
4	1.51
4	1.31
5	1.36
5	1.34
3	0.99
4	1.03
4	0.84
5	0.94
5	1.03
6	1.23
6	1.25
6	1.31
6	1.34
7	1.36
6	1.22
8	1.32
8	1.28
8	1.26
7	1.18
7	1.03
8	1.1
8	1.13
8	0.98
10	0.85
10	1.05
12	1.15
12	1.14
9	1.24

Based on your calculated correlation coefficient, how would you describe the correlation between the length of telomeres and and the number of years healthy pre-menopausall woman cared for chronically ill children?

a		no correlation
b		strong negative
c		weak positive
d		weak negative
e		strong positive

Based on the correlation between telomere and caring for chronically ill children, how would you expect stress to impact aging?

A		The absence of a correlation between telomeric length and carying for a chronically ill child suggests that stress does not impact aging.
B		Increased stress decreases the rate of aging, as seen by longer telomeres.
C		Increased stress increases the rate of aging, as seen by longer telomeres.
D		Increased stress increases the rate of aging, as seen by shorter telomeres.
E		Increased stress decreases the rate of aging, as seen by shorter telomeres.

Answer 1

(A) Using the excel function CORREL(Array1, Array2)

= CORREL(A2:A38, B2:B38)

= -0.4340

So, there is a negative correlation between year and telomere length

Correlation is below -0.5, so it is a weak negative correlation

option D

(B) Based on the correlation between telomere and caring for chronically ill children, Increased stress decreases the rate of aging, as seen by shorter telomeres because negative correlation means increase in one variable will show decrease in other variable

So, option E is correct