1. A processor-based system for identifying and/or quantifying associations in a multivariate data set, comprising: a user interface operative to receive at least one user control input and having a graphic display operative to render visual images to a user; a parallel coordinates plot (PCP) component operative to generate a PCP view for rendering on the graphic display and to selectively modify the PCP view according to the user control input, the PCP view comprising: a dependent variable portion including a dependent variable axis indicator visually displaying one or more attributes of a user-designated dependent variable of the data set, a plurality of independent variable portions individually including an independent variable axis indicator visually displaying one or more attributes of an independent variable of the data set, the independent and dependent variable axis indicators being generally parallel and aligned with one another in an axis region of the PCP view, an axis selection indicator operable via the user control input to designate one of the axis indicators as being a selected axis indicator, and a plurality of graphical correlation indicators individually associated with and proximate to a corresponding dependent or independent variable axis indicator in a correlation region of the PCP view, the graphical correlation indicators being operative to graphically indicate a correlation value associated with the corresponding variable of the data set and with a variable associated with the selected axis indicator; and a correlation component operative to selectively perform one or more correlation operations on user-selected variables of the data set to provide the correlation values to the PCP component.