Which type of research design do psychologists primarily use to determine cause and effect relationships?

• A. Experimental studies
• B. Correlational studies
• C. Case studies
• D. Naturalistic observation

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the goal of the research design: determining cause and effect relationships means identifying whether one variable directly influences another.
2. Recognize that experimental studies involve manipulating an independent variable and measuring its effect on a dependent variable while controlling for other factors.
3. Note that correlational studies only measure the relationship between variables without manipulation, so they cannot establish causality.
4. Understand that case studies and naturalistic observation provide detailed descriptive data but do not allow for control or manipulation necessary to infer cause and effect.
5. Conclude that the research design primarily used to determine cause and effect relationships in psychology is the experimental study because it allows for controlled manipulation and testing of hypotheses.