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I am seeking to confirm that staff members are more likely to perform pro-environmental behaviour if they perceive support from their manager. The behaviours are measured by an ordinal scale (very frequently, frequently, occasionally, rarely and never), and the perception is measured by a likert-scale (strongly agree, agree, neutral disagree and strongly disagree).

What is the appropriate analysis for this? My N is 25 but I can collect more if necessary.

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    $\begingroup$ Do you want a model relating perceived support & environmental behaviors, or do you only need to test if they are related? $\endgroup$
    – gung - Reinstate Monica
    Commented Oct 6, 2015 at 20:59
  • $\begingroup$ I think test if they are related would be fine. Of course it is better with the model relating but I think it 's too complicated for me. $\endgroup$
    – Nhat Kha
    Commented Oct 7, 2015 at 0:24
  • $\begingroup$ what is the scheme for scoring the responses for each of two variables? $\endgroup$
    – user10619
    Commented Oct 7, 2015 at 13:37
  • $\begingroup$ the behaviours scored by very frequently, frequently ... never; and the perceived-support scored base on Strongly agree, Agree ... Strongly disagree $\endgroup$
    – Nhat Kha
    Commented Oct 7, 2015 at 19:07

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You have two ordinal variables and you want to see if they are associated. You should just compute an ordinal correlation, such as Spearman's, and test it against a null hypothesis of no association.

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  • $\begingroup$ Thanks for your reply, so how about the sample size? $\endgroup$
    – Nhat Kha
    Commented Oct 7, 2015 at 19:06
  • $\begingroup$ There is nothing necessarily wrong with N=25. The question is simply about how big an effect you want to be able to detect. $\endgroup$
    – gung - Reinstate Monica
    Commented Oct 7, 2015 at 19:34
  • $\begingroup$ My supervisor did not allow me to use Spearman, she told my sample is too small, if I try to use in my dissertation she will fail me as it against the principle of Spearman test :(. Do you have any reference so I can show her that N=25 is ok/ $\endgroup$
    – Nhat Kha
    Commented Oct 12, 2015 at 22:10
  • $\begingroup$ @NhatKha, I've never heard of such a thing. I'm not aware of it. My copy of Hollander & Wolfe refers to the large sample approximation for the sampling distribution, but gives no guidance on what N is required to be 'large'. The prove that the mean & variance are correct w/ N=4, but that doesn't mean the shape of the sampling distribution is right, & refers to the case w/o ties, which you would have. You could always simulate the null distribution to be sure. $\endgroup$
    – gung - Reinstate Monica
    Commented Oct 12, 2015 at 22:47

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