What type of data does correlational research primarily focus on?

Correlational research primarily focuses on numerical data as it aims to identify the relationship or association between two or more variables. This type of research quantifies the extent to which changes in one variable correspond to changes in another variable, using statistical measures such as correlation coefficients. These coefficients indicate the strength and direction of the relationship, which requires the data to be in numerical form.

In contrast, descriptive data summarizes characteristics of a population or phenomenon without identifying relationships between variables. Historical data involves records from the past and might not always lend itself to assessing relationships in the way that correlation does. Qualitative data is non-numerical and captures more subjective insights, making it unsuitable for correlational analysis, which fundamentally hinges on numerical relationships. Thus, the focus of correlational research on numerical data enables researchers to draw meaningful conclusions about how variables interact.