What does the correlational method assess?

The correlational method assesses the extent to which two factors vary together, identifying the strength and direction of their relationship. It does this by calculating a correlation coefficient, which quantifies how changes in one variable are associated with changes in another variable. A positive correlation indicates that as one variable increases, the other tends to increase as well, while a negative correlation suggests that as one variable increases, the other decreases. This method does not establish causation; instead, it highlights that a relationship exists. This is why option B accurately reflects the primary purpose of the correlational method.