In a study examining the effect of alcohol on reaction time, Liguori and Robinso
ID: 3254395 • Letter: I
Question
In a study examining the effect of alcohol on reaction time, Liguori and Robinson (2001) found that even moderate alcohol consumption significantly slowed response time to an emergency situation in a driving simulation. In a similar study, researchers measured reaction time 30 minutes after a sample of 25 participants consumed one 6-ounce glass of wine.
Answer the following questions using information from your assigned research problem.
1. What are the dependent and independent variables in this study?
2. What measurement system (e.g., nominal, ordinal, interval, ratio) would be used to test the dependent variable, and why?
3. Rewrite this scenario so that it is clearly experimental.
4. What might be confounding variables that would influence the scores on the dependent variable other than the influence of the independent variable?
5. Rewrite this scenario so that it is clearly nonexperimental.
6. Describe the population from which this sample is composed.
Explanation / Answer
1) Dependent Variable - Response Time to an emergency situation in a driving simulation
Independent Variable - Alcohol Consumption
2) We would use ordinal measurement system to test the dependent variable because the response time is a time variable and it can be ordered according to low reaction time first and then the higher reaction time.e.g. 10 seconds can be ordered above the reaction time of 20 seconds
3) A sample of 25 participants consumed one 6-ounce glass of wine. Their reaction time to an emergency situation in a driving simulation was noted 30 minutes after the alcohol consumption. Test whether alcohol consumption has an effect on response time to an emergency situation in a driving simulation or not.
4) A confounding variable, also known as a third variable or a mediator variable, can adversely affect the relation between the independent variable and dependent variable. This may cause the researcher to analyze the results incorrectly.
The confounding variables could be
Whether the person got accurate sleep last night,
weight of person
Mental state of the person
Focusing capability of the person
Past alcohol consumption habit of the person
Note - We are to give answer to first 4 parts only. Please post the other parts in a separate question