In a clinical safety study, a researcher investigated whether there was a correlation between the average daily caffeine consumption (in mg) of pregnant women during their third trimester and the birth weight (in kg) of their newborns.
The researcher recruited 50 expectant mothers from a local prenatal clinic who consented to log their daily dietary and beverage intake.
Each participant's average daily caffeine intake was calculated from these logs, and the birth weight of their baby was recorded at delivery.
The researcher hypothesised that there would be a negative correlation between average daily caffeine consumption and newborn birth weight.
Outline one reason why it was appropriate to conduct a correlational study rather than an experiment in this investigation.
Practise AQA A Level Psychology Correlations with exam-style questions for A Level Psychology. 30 questions, matched to the AQA A Level Psychology (7182) specification and written in Paper 1, Paper 2 and Paper 3 style. Every question includes a full worked solution and mark scheme, so you can see where marks are awarded rather than just whether you got the answer right.