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 subjects smoke a real cigarette 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. In this study, the cigarette without nicotine is:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The cigarette without nicotine is a placebo, which is a substance or treatment that has no therapeutic effect but is used as a control in a study to test the effectiveness of another treatment. In this case, the real cigarette with nicotine is the independent variable, and the collision rate is the dependent variable being measured. The use of a placebo helps to control for any potential psychological effects of smoking, such as relaxation or anxiety reduction, that could affect driving performance.

In a Laboratory, Smokers Are Asked to "Drive" Using a Computerized