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 dependent variable is:

Question

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The dependent variable is the variable being measured in the study, which in this case is the number of collisions. This is what the researchers are interested in comparing between the two groups of smokers (those who smoked a real cigarette vs those who smoked a fake one). The other variables listed (use of nicotine, driving skills, and use of a driving simulator) are not the main focus of the study and are either controlled for or used as tools to measure the dependent variable.

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