Use this when the binary variable is "true"—like being a "smoker" vs. "non-smoker". The Biserial Path
Imagine a high school where everyone is obsessed with a difficult math competition. Two friends, and Dichotomous Dan , decide to investigate what makes a student successful. biserial correlation
They calculate a Point-Biserial Correlation . This tells them the strength of the relationship between hours studied and the actual binary outcome of passing or failing. Use this when the binary variable is "true"—like
They want to see if more studying leads to passing. But they face a statistical crossroads between two similar-sounding tools. The Point-Biserial Path and Dichotomous Dan