To Investigate Whether or Not Sending Text Messages While Driving

question 29

Short Answer

To investigate whether or not sending text messages while driving impacts driving ability,we had 100 participants (50 men and 50 women)drive an obstacle course under one of the following conditions: 1)no texting while driving,2)sending five text messages while driving,or 3)sending 10 text messages while driving.We measured the accuracy with which the subjects drove the obstacle course from a scale of 1 to 10 (1 = poor and 10 = excellent).What is the response variable in this study?

---

Definitions:

Extinction

In behavioral psychology, it refers to the gradual weakening and eventual disappearance of a conditioned response when the conditioned stimulus is no longer paired with the unconditioned stimulus.

Operant Conditioning

A learning process where behavior is controlled by consequences, such as rewards or punishments.

Respondent Conditioning

A learning process that involves creating an association between a naturally occurring stimulus and a previously neutral stimulus.

Shaping

A method of behavior training in which positive reinforcement is used to gradually guide an individual toward a desired behavior.