Irving has noticed a pattern: The more alcohol people drink, the more aggressive they seem to be. Which research method would be aimed at verifying the relationship between these two variables?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The best research method for verifying the relationship between alcohol consumption and aggression is correlational research, which examines whether there is a positive or negative relationship between two variables without controlling or manipulating any factors. In this case, by measuring the strength and direction of the correlation between alcohol consumption and aggression, researchers can determine whether and how strongly the two are related. A naturalistic observation method would only enable observation of behaviors without examining their relationship with alcohol consumption. A case study method would focus on a single individual, which would not provide a broad enough sample size to test the relationship between alcohol and aggression. An experimental method involves the manipulation of the independent variable (in this case, alcohol consumption) and the measurement of the dependent variable (in this case, aggression); however, it is not ethical to manipulate alcohol consumption levels to explore this relationship, so correlational research is the most appropriate option in this case.

Irving Has Noticed a Pattern: the More Alcohol People Drink