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Inferences on Correlation Coefficients in Some Classes of Nonnormal Distributions

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  • Yuan, Ke-Hai
  • Bentler, Peter M.

Abstract

Correlation coefficients have many applications for studying the relationship among multivariate observations. Classical inferences on correlation coefficients are mainly based on the normality assumption. This assumption is hardly realistic in the real world, which implies that the procedures on correlation coefficients used in many statistical software packages may not be relevant to most data sets in practice. However, we show that the classical procedures, possibly after simple corrections, are also valid in classes of distributions with large skewnesses and heterogeneous marginal kurtoses. A useful class of nonnormal distributions is identified for each of several types of correlation coefficients. The marginals of these distributions may include a variety of univariate distributions with different shapes. The results generalize the classical procedures to much larger classes of distributions than previously known and give a better understanding of the historical controversy regarding the behavior of the sample correlation coefficient. An implication is that one need not be worried so much by the nonnormality of data sets when using these classical procedures, providing simple corrections are evaluated and possibly undertaken.

Suggested Citation

  • Yuan, Ke-Hai & Bentler, Peter M., 2000. "Inferences on Correlation Coefficients in Some Classes of Nonnormal Distributions," Journal of Multivariate Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 72(2), pages 230-248, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jmvana:v:72:y:2000:i:2:p:230-248
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Yuan, Ke-Hai & Bentler, Peter M., 1999. "On asymptotic distributions of normal theory MLE in covariance structure analysis under some nonnormal distributions," Statistics & Probability Letters, Elsevier, vol. 42(2), pages 107-113, April.
    2. Eaton, M. L. & Tyler, D., 1994. "The Asymptotic Distribution of Singular-Values with Applications to Canonical Correlations and Correspondence Analysis," Journal of Multivariate Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 50(2), pages 238-264, August.
    3. Schott, James R., 1996. "Eigenprojections and the equality of latent roots of a correlation matrix," Computational Statistics & Data Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 23(2), pages 229-238, December.
    4. Fang, K. T. & Zhu, L. X. & Bentler, P. M., 1993. "A Necessary Test of Goodness of Fit for Sphericity," Journal of Multivariate Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 45(1), pages 34-55, April.
    5. Lee, Sik-Yum, 1985. "Analysis of covariance and correlation structures," Computational Statistics & Data Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 2(4), pages 279-295, February.
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Ke-Hai Yuan & Peter Bentler, 2002. "On robusiness of the normal-theory based asymptotic distributions of three reliability coefficient estimates," Psychometrika, Springer;The Psychometric Society, vol. 67(2), pages 251-259, June.
    2. Ke-Hai Yuan & Peter Bentler, 2004. "On the asymptotic distributions of two statistics for two-level covariance structure models within the class of elliptical distributions," Psychometrika, Springer;The Psychometric Society, vol. 69(3), pages 437-457, September.
    3. Ke-Hai Yuan & Peter M. Bentler & Wei Zhang, 2005. "The Effect of Skewness and Kurtosis on Mean and Covariance Structure Analysis," Sociological Methods & Research, , vol. 34(2), pages 240-258, November.
    4. Engle, Robert F. & Marcucci, Juri, 2006. "A long-run Pure Variance Common Features model for the common volatilities of the Dow Jones," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 132(1), pages 7-42, May.
    5. Šárka Hudecová & Miroslav Šiman, 2021. "Testing symmetry around a subspace," Statistical Papers, Springer, vol. 62(5), pages 2491-2508, October.
    6. Yuan, Ke-Hai & Bentler, Peter M., 2005. "Asymptotic robustness of the normal theory likelihood ratio statistic for two-level covariance structure models," Journal of Multivariate Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 94(2), pages 328-343, June.
    7. Deepak Nag Ayyala & Anindya Roy & Junyong Park & Rao P. Gullapalli, 2018. "Adjusting for Confounders in Cross-correlation Analysis: an Application to Resting State Networks," Sankhya B: The Indian Journal of Statistics, Springer;Indian Statistical Institute, vol. 80(1), pages 123-150, May.
    8. Nagahara, Yuichi, 2004. "A method of simulating multivariate nonnormal distributions by the Pearson distribution system and estimation," Computational Statistics & Data Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 47(1), pages 1-29, August.
    9. Ke-Hai Yuan & Wai Chan, 2011. "Biases and Standard Errors of Standardized Regression Coefficients," Psychometrika, Springer;The Psychometric Society, vol. 76(4), pages 670-690, October.
    10. Ke-Hai Yuan & Peter Bentler, 2002. "On normal theory based inference for multilevel models with distributional violations," Psychometrika, Springer;The Psychometric Society, vol. 67(4), pages 539-561, December.

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