Simulating Pearson's and Spearman's Correlations in Q-Sorts Using Excel: A Simulation Proof of A Widely Believed Result

A widely believed result about Q-sorts is shown by simulation; namely, that the hard-to-compute but statistically correct Spearman’s ranked correlation, rs, may be substituted by the more common Pearson’s r correlation. Recent versions of Microsoft Excel are excellent for reasonably sized simulations, especially those used in classroom settings.