n. a scale-dependent measure of the relationship between two variables such that corresponding pairs of values of the variables are studied with regard to their relative distance from their respective means. A positive covariance results when values of one variable that lie above the mean of that variable tend to be paired with values of the second variable that also lie above the mean of that variable. A negative covariance results when values of one variable that lie above the mean tend to be paired with values of the second variable that lie below the mean.