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Nick Stauner
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Can independent variables with low correlation with dependent variable be significant predictors?

I have eight independent variables and one dependent. I have run a correlation matrix, and 5 of them have a low correlation with the DV. I have then run a stepwise multiple regression to see whether any/all of the IVs can predict the DV. The regression showed that only two IVs can predict the DV (can only account for about 20% of the variance though), and SPSS removed the rest from the model. My supervisor reckons that I have not run the regression correctly, as due to the strength of the correlations, I should have found more predictors in the regression model. But the correlations were tiny, so my question is: if IVs and the DV hardly correlate, can IVs still be good predictors of the DV?

Elle
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