Researchers have used driving simulators to investigate whether talking on a cellphone impairs the ability to drive. The published studies show that using a cellphone has a detrimental effect on attention to driving. One valid criticism of these studies is that:
A) it is common knowledge that cellphone use does not have an impact on driving ability
B) behaviour is almost impossible to predict when it involves a complex set of behaviours like driving an automobile
C) people are going to talk on cellphones while driving even if their driving ability is impaired
D) participants may not take simulated driving tasks seriously because they know there are no real consequences if their driving behaviour is poor

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Participants may not take simulated driving tasks seriously because they know there are no real consequences if their driving behavior is poor. This is a valid criticism of studying the effects of cellphone use on driving ability using simulators. Participants may not be as invested in their performance on a simulator as they would be in a real driving situation, which could affect the validity of the results.

Researchers Have Used Driving Simulators to Investigate Whether Talking on a Cellphone