A researcher conducted a study investigating the effect of computer screen time on a person’s amount of REM sleep. The researcher randomly assigned 100 people into four groups. The first group was given 2 hours of computer screen time each day, the second group was given 4 hours each day, the third group was given 6 hours each day, and the fourth group was given 8 hours each day. The study was conducted for one week, and the amount of REM sleep for each person was measured. What is the explanatory variable in the study?