from pydoc import help
from scipy.stats.stats import pearsonr
help(pearsonr)
>>>
Help on function pearsonr in module scipy.stats.stats:
pearsonr(x, y)
Calculates a Pearson correlation coefficient and the p-value for testing
non-correlation.
The Pearson correlation coefficient measures the linear relationship
between two datasets. Strictly speaking, Pearson's correlation requires
that each dataset be normally distributed. Like other correlation
coefficients, this one varies between -1 and +1 with 0 implying no
correlation. Correlations of -1 or +1 imply an exact linear
relationship. Positive correlations imply that as x increases, so does
y. Negative correlations imply that as x increases, y decreases.
The p-value roughly indicates the probability of an uncorrelated system
producing datasets that have a Pearson correlation at least as extreme
as the one computed from these datasets. The p-values are not entirely
reliable but are probably reasonable for datasets larger than 500 or so.
Parameters
----------
x : 1D array
y : 1D array the same length as x
Returns
-------
(Pearson's correlation coefficient,
2-tailed p-value)
References
----------
http://www.statsoft.com/textbook/glosp.html#Pearson%20Correlation
import math
# calculates the mean
def mean(x):
sum = 0.0
for i in x:
sum += i
return sum / len(x)
# calculates the sample standard deviation
def sampleStandardDeviation(x):
sumv = 0.0
for i in x:
sumv += (i - mean(x))**2
return math.sqrt(sumv/(len(x)-1))
# calculates the PCC using both the 2 functions above
def pearson(x,y):
scorex = []
scorey = []
for i in x:
scorex.append((i - mean(x))/sampleStandardDeviation(x))
for j in y:
scorey.append((j - mean(y))/sampleStandardDeviation(y))
# multiplies both lists together into 1 list (hence zip) and sums the whole list
return (sum([i*j for i,j in zip(scorex,scorey)]))/(len(x)-1)
The significance of PCC is basically to show you how strongly correlated the two variables/lists are. It is important to note that the PCC value ranges from -1 to 1. A value between 0 to 1 denotes a positive correlation. Value of 0 = highest variation (no correlation whatsoever). A value between -1 to 0 denotes a negative correlation.
def pearsonr(x, y):
# Assume len(x) == len(y)
n = len(x)
sum_x = float(sum(x))
sum_y = float(sum(y))
sum_x_sq = sum(xi*xi for xi in x)
sum_y_sq = sum(yi*yi for yi in y)
psum = sum(xi*yi for xi, yi in zip(x, y))
num = psum - (sum_x * sum_y/n)
den = pow((sum_x_sq - pow(sum_x, 2) / n) * (sum_y_sq - pow(sum_y, 2) / n), 0.5)
if den == 0: return 0
return num / den