Question

The following five questions are related to the following experiment.

In a laboratory, smokers are asked to "drive" using a computerized driving simulator equipped with a stick shift and a gas pedal. The object is to maximize the distance covered by driving as fast as possible on a winding road while avoiding rear-end collisions. Some of the participants smoke a real cigarette (with nicotine) immediately before climbing into the driver’s seat. Others smoke a fake cigarette (without nicotine). You are interested in comparing how many collisions the two groups have. Your hypothesis is that nicotine will increase the likelihood of being involved in a collision.
1.) In this study, the independent variable is:
2.) In this study, the dependent variable is:
3.) In this study, the participants who smoke a cigarette without nicotine comprise the _____________________ group.
4.) In this study, the participants who smoke a real cigarette (with nicotine) comprise the ______________________ group.
5.) A confounding variable related to this experiment could be:

Answer 1

1) The independent variable is nicotine consumption.

2) The dependent variable is 'Involvement in a collision'. In this case the values the variable could take would be binary. For example 'were involved in a collision' and 'weren't involved in a collision'.

3) In this study, the participants who smoke a cigarette without nicotine comprise the __control___________________ group.

4.) In this study, the participants who smoke a real cigarette (with nicotine) comprise the ___experimental___________________ group.

5.) A confounding variable related to this experiment could be:

Confounding variables are any other variable that also has an effect on your dependent variable. They are like extra independent variables that are having a hidden effect on your dependent variables.

In this case, there are many examples of confounding variables that could have an effect on the dependent variable:

For example:

Subject's eyesight

Subject's age

Subjects's driving experience,

and so on