Which of the following is an example of correlational research?

• A. An experiment testing whether a new drug improves memory by randomly assigning participants to treatment and control groups
• B. A study examining the relationship between hours of sleep and academic performance among college students
• C. A survey asking participants to recall their childhood experiences without analyzing relationships between variables
• D. A case study describing the behavior of a single individual with a rare psychological disorder

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the definition of correlational research. Correlational research examines the relationship or association between two or more variables without manipulating them.
2. Step 2: Identify key characteristics of correlational research in the options. Look for studies that measure variables as they naturally occur and analyze how they relate to each other.
3. Step 3: Evaluate each option: The experiment with drug treatment involves manipulation and control groups, so it is experimental research, not correlational.
4. Step 4: The survey asking participants to recall experiences without analyzing relationships does not focus on variable relationships, so it is descriptive, not correlational.
5. Step 5: The case study focuses on detailed description of one individual, which is qualitative and not correlational. The study examining the relationship between hours of sleep and academic performance measures two variables and analyzes their association, fitting the definition of correlational research.