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{\Large{\textit{SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES}}}
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{\large{\textsc{London}}}
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\textbf{Royal Society}, December 20, 1888.---``Correlations ant their
Measurement, chiefly from Anthropometric Data.'' By Francis Galton,
F.R.S.
Two organs are said to be co-related or correlated, when variations in
the one are generally accompanied by variations in the other, in the
same direction, while the closeness of the relation differs in different
pairs of organs. All variations being due to the aggregate effect of
many causes, the correlation is a consequence of a part of those causes
having a common influence over both of the variables, and the larger the
proportion of the common influences the closer will be the correlation.
The length of the cubit is correlated with the stature, because a long
cubit generally implies a tall man. If the correlation between them
were very close, a very long cubit would usually imply a very tall
stature, but if it were not very close, a very long cubit would be on
the average associated with only a tall stature, and not a very tall one
; while, if it were \textit{nil}, a very long cubit would be
associated with no especial stature, and therefore, on the average,
with mediocrity. The relation between the cubit and the stature will
serve as a specimen of other correlations. It is expressed in its
simplest form when the relation is not measured between their actual
length, but between (\textit{a}) the deviation of the length of the
cubit from the mean of the lengths of all the cubits under discussion,
and (\textit{b}) the deviation of the mean of the corresponding statures
from the mean of all the statures under discussion. Moreover, these
deviations should be expressed on the following method in terms of their
respective variabilities. In the case of the cubit, all the measures of
the left cubit in the group under discussion, and which were recorded
in inches, were marshalled in their magnitude, and those of them were
noted that occupied the first, second, and third quarterly divisions of
the series. Calling these measures Q$_1$, M, and Q$_3$, the deviations
were measured from M, in terms of inches divided by
$\frac{1}{2}(\text{Q}_3-\text{Q}_1)$, which divisor we will call Q.
Similarly as regards the statures. [It will be noted that Q is
practically the same as the probable error.] This having been done, it
was found that, whatever the deviation, $y$, of the cubit might be, the
mean value of the corresponding deviations of stature was $0\cdot8y$; and
conversely, whatever the deviation, $y'$, of the stature might be, the
mean value of the corresponding deviations of the cubit was also
$0\cdot8y'$. Therefore this factor of $0\cdot8$, which may be expressed
by the symbol $r$, measures the closeness of the correlation, or of the
reciprocal relation between the cubit and the stature. The M and Q
values of these and other elements were found to be as follows:\footnote{The
head length is here the maximum length measured from the
notch below the brow. The cubit is measured with the hand prone, from
the flexed elbow to the tip of the middle finger. The height of knee
is taken from a stool, on which the foot rests with the knee flexed at
right angles ; from this the measured thickness of the heel of the
boot is subtracted. All measures had to be made in ordinary clothing.
The smallness of the number of measures, viz.\ 350, is of little
importance, as the results run with fair smoothness. Neither does the
fact of most of the persons measured being hardly full grown affect
the main results. It somewhat diminishes the values of M, and very
slightly influences that of Q, but it cannot be expected to have any
sensible effect on the value of $r$.} left cubit, $18\cdot05$ and
$0\cdot56$ ; stature $67\cdot2$ and $1\cdot75$ ; head length, $7\cdot62$ and
$0\cdot19$; head breadth, $6\cdot00$ and $0\cdot18$ ; left middle finger,
$4\cdot54$ and $0\cdot15$ ; height of right knee, $20\cdot50$ and
$0\cdot80$ ; all the measurements being in inches. The values of $r$ in the
following pairs of variables were found to be: head length and stature,
$0\cdot35$ ; left middle finger and stature, $0\cdot70$ ; head breadth and
head length, $0\cdot45$ ; height of knee and stature, $0\cdot9$ ; left cubit
and height of right knee, $0\cdot8$. The comparison of the observed
results with those calculated from the above data showed a very close
agreement. The measures were of 350 male adults, containing a large
proportion of students barely above twenty-one years of age, made at the
laboratory at South Kensington, belonging to the author.
These results are identical in form with those already arrived at by the
author in his memoir on hereditary stature (Proc.\ Roy.\ Soc., vol.\ xl,
p.\ 42, 1886), when discussing the general law of kinship. In that memoir,
and in the appendix to it by Mr.\ J.\ Hamilton Dickson, their
\textit{rationale} is fully discussed. In fact, the family resemblance of
kinsmen is nothing more than a special case of correlation.
The general result of the inquiry was that, when two variables that are
severally conformable to the law of frequency of error, are correlated
together, the conditions and measure of their closeness of correlation
admits of being easily expressed. Let $x_1$, $x_2$, $x_3$, \&c., be the
deviations in inches, or other absolute measure, of the several
``relatives'' of a large number of ``subjects,'' each of which has a
deviation, $y$, and let X be the mean of the values of $x_1$, $x_2$,
$x_3$, \&c. Then (1) $y=r$X, whatever may be the value of $y$. (2) If
the deviations are measured, not in inches or other absolute standards,
but in units, each equal to the Q (that is, to the probable error) of
their respective systems, then $r$ will be the same, whichever of the
two correlated variables is taken for the subject. In other words, the
relation between them becomes reciprocal ; it is strictly a correlation.
(3) $r$ is always less than 1. (4) $r$ (which, in the memoir on
hereditary stature, was called the ratio of regression) is a measure of
the closeness of correlation. Other points were dwelt upon in the
memoir, that are not mentioned here : Among these was as follows : (5)
The probable error, or Q, of the distribution of $x_1$, $x_2$, $x_3$,
\&c., about X, is the same for all values of $y$, and is equal to
$\surd(1-r^2)$ when the conditions specified in (2) are observed.
It should be noted that the use of the Q unit enables the variations of
the most diverse quantities to be compared with as much precision as
those of the same quantity. Thus, variations in lung-capacity which are
measured in volume can be compared with those of strength measured by
weight lifted, or of swiftness measured in time and distance. It places
all variables on a common footing.
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[\textit{Nature} \textbf{39} (1889 January 3), 238.]
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