Jen decides to study the effects of alcohol on driving ability. She selects 200 college students and randomly divides them into two groups of 100 students each. Subjects in
Group "A" drive a car through an obstacle course while remaining sober. Subjects in
Group "B" also drive through the obstacle course, but they are given an ounce of
Whiskey before each attempt at driving the course. As expected, the driving ability of
Subjects in group "B" steadily deteriorates as they consume more alcohol. In Jen's
Study, the amount of alcohol consumed is the ______.
A) independent variable
B) codependent variable
C) dependent variable
D) reciprocal variable

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The independent variable is the variable that is manipulated or changed in an experiment. In this case, the amount of alcohol consumed is being deliberately adjusted by the experimenter, making it the independent variable. The dependent variable is the one being measured or observed in response to the independent variable. In this case, it would likely be the participants' driving ability. Codependent and reciprocal variables are not commonly used in experimental design.

Jen Decides to Study the Effects of Alcohol on Driving