<p>All correlational statistics must be interpreted with consideration given to certain constraints. The use of the Pearson product moment correlation coefficient as a descriptive measure of relationship necessitates the assumption that the correlated variables be distributed bivariately normal. This assumption is probably not met in some applications of the Pearson product moment correlation coefficient as a descriptive statistic. This study was undertaken to establish some empirical evidence as to the con­sequences of this action. The results indicate that lack of bivariate normality can have a sizeable effect on the magnitude of obtained values of the Pearson product moment correlation coefficient.</p>