Research Design and Statistical Analysis of Sleep Deprivation Study

A researcher is interested in studying the effects of sleep deprivation on cognitive performance. To investigate this, the researcher recruits a sample of 100 college students and divides them into two groups: one group is allowed to sleep for 8 hours the night before a cognitive test, while the other group is only allowed 4 hours of sleep. After the test, the researcher compares the scores of both groups.

In your response, explain the type of research design used in this study and identify the independent and dependent variables. Additionally, discuss the implications of using a sample size of 100 for the generalizability of the findings. Comment on any potential confounding variables that could impact the results of the study.