Which of the following can be the null hypothesis for a research study that would employ the chi-square test for independence?

A) H₀: gender and SUV ownership are dependent
B) H₀: gender and SUV ownership are independent
C) H₀: μ_gender = μ_{SUV ownership}
D) H₀: σ²_gender = σ²_{SUV ownership}

The null hypothesis for a chi-square test for independence is that the two variables being tested are independent. Therefore, option B stating that "gender and SUV ownership are independent" is the correct choice for the null hypothesis. Options A and C are indicating that the variables are dependent, which is the opposite of what the null hypothesis should state. Option D is not relevant to the chi-square test for independence, as it deals with standard deviations rather than independence between variables.