Independent and Dependent Variable Examples The presence/absence of the chemical is the independent variable. Pritha Bhandari. Performance & security by Cloudflare. Its the outcome youre interested in measuring, and it depends on your independent variable. Do tomatoes grow fastest under fluorescent, incandescent, or natural light? ThoughtCo. A confounding variable, or confounder, affects the relationship between the independent and dependent variables. What Are Independent and Dependent Variables? Each participant sits in a booth and takes a bite of one version of the crust. Its what youre interested in measuring, and it depends on your independent variable. You want to compare brands of paper towels, to see which holds the most liquid. February 3, 2022 You want to know which brand of fertilizer is best for your plants. The independent variable is the supplement, and the dependent variable is muscle mass. You are assessing how it responds to a change in the independent variable, so you can think of it as depending on the independent variable. ____________________________________________________________. You use this measurement data to check whether and to what extent your independent variable influences the dependent variable by conducting statistical analyses. Pot size and soil type might affect plant survival as much or more than salt additions. After many claims that listening to Mozart will make you smarter, a group of education specialists decides to put it to the test. A correlation reflects the strength and/or direction of the relationship between two (or more) variables. Sensors on the crash dummy skulls allowed for a scientific analysis of how much damage a human skull would incur. Difference Between Independent and Dependent Variables, Dependent Variable Definition and Examples, Independent Variable Definition and Examples, What Is an Experiment? At the end of the survey, the screen shows one of the photos of the female. Learn more about our academic and editorial standards. It must be either the cause or the effect, not both! sharing sensitive information, make sure youre on a federal In this study, the independent variable is the concrete mixture, and the dependent variable is the amount of weight at collapse. At the end of three months, the muscle mass of all participants is measured. Based on your results, you note that the placebo and low-dose groups show little difference in blood pressure, while the high-dose group sees substantial improvements. This example sheet is color-coded according to the type of variable: nominal, continuous, ordinal, and binary. 2022 Jul;43(10):3176-3183. doi: 10.1002/hbm.25842. The dependent variable would be the amount of liquid absorbed by the paper towel. A sports medicine researcher has been hired by Gatorade to test the effects of its sports drink on athletic performance. For example, gender identity, ethnicity, race, income, and education are all important subject variables that social researchers treat as independent variables. Is the variable one that is being manipulated by the experimenters? Because it would be unethical to expose a randomized group of people to high levels of vehicle exhaust,[1] a study comparing two populations with differential exposure to vehicle exhaust would rely on a natural experiment, or a situation in which this already occurs due to factors unrelated to the researchers. For the following hypotheses, name the IV and the DV. You suspect the amount of television a person watches is related to their age. Epub 2016 Mar 24. Copyright 2023 Helpful Professor. Its called independent because its not influenced by any other variables in the study. Two other kinds of variables that might influence the outcome include: Extraneous variables can also include demand characteristics (which are clues about how the participants should respond) and experimenter effects (which is when the researchers accidentally provide clues about how a participant will respond). This enables another psychologist to replicate your research and is essential in establishing reliability (achieving consistency in the results). Sometimes you may hear this variable called the "controlled variable" because it is the one that is changed. To understand this concept, it's helpful to take a look at the independent variable in research examples. 1. Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. If you are having trouble identifying the independent variables of an experiment, there are some questions that may help: Researchers are interested in investigating the effects of the independent variable on other variables, which are known as dependent variables (DV). In an experiment, the researcher is looking for the possible effect on the dependent variable that might be caused by changing the independent variable. Dependent and independent variables. Brain morphology, harm avoidance, and the severity of excessive internet use. Appetite is the dependent variable. It is the main point of focus in the experiment whereby researchers are looking to find a cause to. In an experiment, some volunteers receive the new treatment, another group receives a different treatment, and a third group receives no treatment. Types of data: Quantitative vs categorical variables, Parts of the experiment: Independent vs dependent variables, Frequently asked questions about variables. variable, or in the form (x2 + y2 ) dx dy 2xy = 0, where x is the dependent variable and y is the independent variable. For example, star ratings on product reviews are ordinal (1 to 5 stars), but the average star rating is quantitative. In an experiment, you manipulate the independent variable and measure the outcome in the dependent variable. Type of light the tomato plant is grown under, Presence or absence of intermittent fasting, Presence or absence of medical marijuana use, Type of work environment (remote or in office). One of the most popular forms of regression analysis is linear regression, which allows you to establish a linear relationship between a dependent variable and one or more independent variables. The number of popped kernels is the dependent variable. Next, we randomly assign each person to either practice meditation every day, three days a week, or not at all. Gatorade and Improved Athletic Performance, 15. In your research design, its important to identify potential confounding variables and plan how you will reduce their impact. The dependent variable is the variable being tested and measured in an experiment and is dependent on the independent variable. If you want to test whether some plant species are more salt-tolerant than others, some key variables you might measure include the amount of salt you add to the water, the species of plants being studied, and variables related to plant health like growth and wilting. Published on Time of day has a significant effect on alertness. Each version contains a different blend of specially developed chemicals. Educators are interested in whether participating in after-school math tutoring can increase scores on standardized math exams. Independent variables are what we expect will influence dependent variables. Therefore, you could state that media violence is operationally defined (in your experiment) as exposure to a 15-minute film showing scenes of physical assault; aggression is operationally defined as levels of electrical shocks administered to a second participant in another room. You can usually identify the type of variable by asking two questions: Data is a specific measurement of a variable it is the value you record in your data sheet. December 2, 2022. You want to determine whether a chemical is essential for rat nutrition, so you design an experiment. You have three independent variable levels, and each group gets a different level of treatment. In another example, the hypothesis Young participants will have significantly better memories than older participants is not operationalized. Simply Scholar Ltd. 20-22 Wenlock Road, London N1 7GU, 2023 Simply Scholar, Ltd. All rights reserved, Variables are given a special name that only applies to. Youll often use t tests or ANOVAs to analyze your data and answer your research questions. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning; 2017. Dependent variable Definition and Examples. Chemotherapy and Cancer A hospital is investigating the effectiveness of a new type of chemotherapy on cancer. If you have the variables in the wrong order, the sentence won't make sense. (2022, December 02). For example: In a study of how different doses of a drug affect the severity of symptoms, a researcher could compare the frequency and intensity of symptoms when different doses are administered. A correlational research design investigates relationships between variables without the researcher controlling or manipulating any of them. Example: Your test score affects how long you sleep. Dependent Variables | Definition & Examples. The different levels of the independent variable are called conditions. The researchers at the lab have their usual test volunteers sleep in individual rooms every night for one week. There may be other extraneous variables that are not pertinent to explaining a given dependent variable, but may have some impact on the dependent variable. You randomly assign your patients to one of the three groups: A true experiment requires you to randomly assign different levels of an independent variable to your participants. MeSH A dependent variable is the variable that changes as a result of the independent variable manipulation. Your independent variable is brand of soda . An independent variable is the variable you manipulate or vary in an experimental study to explore its effects. What is an example of an independent and a dependent variable? The independent variable is the teaching method, and the dependent variable is performance on the critical thinking test. Your independent variable is a subject variable, namely the gender identity of the participants. Independent, dependent, and other variables in healthcare and chaplaincy research. In an experiment, you manipulate the independent variable and measure the outcome in the dependent variable. A dependent variable is the variable that changes as a result of the independent variable manipulation. By manipulating the level of an independent variable and observing corresponding changes in a dependent variable, scientists can gain an understanding of many phenomena. The dependent variable is the variable that is being measured or tested in an experiment. FOIA The amount of salt added to each plants water. Rebecca Bevans. The conditions of each room are all exactly the same, except that half of the rooms have lavender released into the rooms and half do not. They already have a pool of consumers that fit their customer profile and they often use them for testing. For example, in Darley . 2. One way to examine this possibility would be to conduct an animal study. The type of visualization you use depends on the variable types in your research questions: To inspect your data, you place your independent variable of treatment level on the x-axis and the dependent variable of blood pressure on the y-axis. The researchers believe that larger dilation indicates greater perceived attractiveness. Dependent Variables | Definition & Examples. Does practicing meditation reduce stress? A company that specializes in essential oils wants to examine the effects of lavender on sleep quality. The value of a dependent variable depends on an independent variable, so a variable cannot be both independent and dependent at the same time. Unable to load your collection due to an error, Unable to load your delegates due to an error. Once you have defined your independent and dependent variables and determined whether they are categorical or quantitative, you will be able to choose the correct statistical test. Researchers are trying to determine if changes to the independent variable (studying) result in significant changes to the dependent variable (the test results). Distinguishing between independent and dependent variables can be tricky when designing a complex study or reading an academic research paper. Here are several examples of independent and dependent variables in experiments: In a study to determine whether how long a student sleeps affects test scores, the independent variable is the length of time spent sleeping while the dependent variable is the test score. The independent variable is the brand of paper towel. Discrete and continuous variables are two types of quantitative variables: If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the Cite this Scribbr article button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator. An example of a dependent variable is depression symptoms, which depend on the independent variable (type of therapy). In this natural experiment, a community living near higher concentrations of car exhaust may also live near factories that pollute or have higher rates of smoking. An official website of the United States government. A variable is called dependent if a derivative of that variable occurs. Whats the definition of an independent variable? A dependent variable is a variable whose value depends upon independent variable s. The dependent variable is what is being measured in an experiment or. Ferguson, C. J. Can graphic video games be a force for good? We cite peer reviewed academic articles wherever possible and reference our sources at the end of our articles. Their muscle mass is measured, and only those with a lower level are selected for the study, leaving a total of 80 study participants. Dr. Helmenstine holds a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences and is a science writer, educator, and consultant. HHS Vulnerability Disclosure, Help Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. Although there are a lot of obvious limitations to this hypothetical, it is the first step. Keywords: To gather information about plant responses over time, you can fill out the same data sheet every few days until the end of the experiment. So, they create three bridge molds that are identical in every way. You will probably also have variables that you hold constant (control variables) in order to focus on your experimental treatment. Retrieved March 3, 2023, Example: What are the experiences and perspectives of undergraduate nursing students in clinical placements within prison healthcare settings? They then indicate how much they liked it by pressing one of 5 buttons: didnt like at all, liked, somewhat liked, liked very much, loved it. Other research methodologies can reveal factors that are related to the dependent variable or associated with the dependent variable, but only when the independent variable is controlled by the researcher can causality be determined. Bethesda, MD 20894, Web Policies Do not confuse it with a "control variable," which is a variable that is purposely held constant so that it can't affect the outcome of the experiment. Independent vs. Why are independent and dependent variables important? Determining cause and effect is one of the most important parts of scientific research. Revised on A confounding variable is related to both the supposed cause and the supposed effect of the study. If you are having a hard time identifying which variable is the independent variable and which is the dependent variable, remember the dependent variable is the one affected by a change in the independent variable. https://www.thoughtco.com/independent-and-dependent-variable-examples-606828 (accessed March 4, 2023). (2022, December 02). If the independent variable affects the dependent variable, then it should be possible to observe changes in the dependent variable based on the presence or absence of the independent variable. In statistical research, a variable is defined as an attribute of an object of study. Another way to put it is the dependent variable is the output value and the independent variable is the input value. Educators, social scientists, and parents were shocked at how graphic games were becoming. Each of these is its own dependent variable with its own research question. The review process on Helpful Professor involves having a PhD level expert fact check, edit, and contribute to articles. Example one: How long you use your phone before bed affects your quality of sleep. A large multinational cosmetics company wants to know if the color of a womans hair affects the level of perceived attractiveness in males. Here, the amount of chemical is the independent variable and the rat health is the dependent variable. In other words, whether changes in an independent variable cause a change in a dependent variable. A variable that hides the true effect of another variable in your experiment. After a certain period of time, perhaps several months, the effects on cognitive performance could be measured. https://helpfulprofessor.com/independent-and-dependent-variable-examples/. Nominal and categorical variables describe samples in groups based on counts that fall within each category, have no quantitative relationships, and cannot be ranked. official website and that any information you provide is encrypted Variables that represent the outcome of the experiment. The key word here is similar.. The health of the rat (whether it lives and reproduces) is the dependent variable. His work has involved designing teacher certification for Trinity College in London and in-service training for state governments in the United States. It would also be possible to examine the physical effects of car exhaust on the brain by conducting an autopsy. Dr. Drew has published over 20 academic articles in scholarly journals. It then proceeds to describe and discuss synonyms for the terms independent variable and dependent variable, including treatment, intervention, predictor, and risk factor, and synonyms for. For example, if we want to explore whether high concentrations of vehicle exhaust impact incidence of asthma in children, vehicle exhaust is the independent variable while asthma is the dependent variable. In an experiment, the researcher looks for the possible effect on the dependent variable that might be caused by changing the independent variable. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. The experiment is an incredibly valuable way to answer scientific questions regarding the cause and effect of certain variables. ANOVA tells you if the dependent variable changes according to the level of the independent variable. Your email address will not be published. The water temperature is the independent variable. Afterward, their level of aggression was measured via a wide range of methods, including direct observations of their behavior, their actions when given the opportunity to be aggressive, or a variety of other measures. A dependent variable is what changes as a result of the independent variable manipulation in experiments. PMC (2010). There are two types of quantitative variables: discrete and continuous. Fortunately, there was a way to test this theory objectively. Bhandari, P. Other types of variables have interchangeable terms. The company wants to claim that when an athlete drinks Gatorade, their performance will improve. In experiments, you manipulate independent variables directly to see how they affect your dependent variable. All articles are edited by a PhD level academic. You have three independent variable levels, and each group gets a different level of treatment. Here are the definitions for independent and dependent variables, examples of each variable, and the explanation for how to graph them. It also makes it easier for other researchers to replicate a study and check for reliability. It represents the cause or reason for an outcome. Below are the key differences when looking at an independent variable vs. dependent variable. How hungry you are would be the dependent variable. Variables are given a special name that only applies to experimental investigations. Both the independent variable and dependent variable are examined in an experiment using the scientific method, so it's important to know what they are and how to use them. These alternative explanations are closely related to the concept of internal validity. You can also predict how much your dependent variable will change as a result of variation in the independent variable. 88.99.24.175 Disclaimer. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, vol. Unauthorized use of these marks is strictly prohibited. 2015;21(1):39-49. doi: 10.1080/08854726.2014.989799. Scribbr. Your dependent variable is math test scores. A large food company is considering entering the health and nutrition sector. If you determine the substance is necessary for proper nutrition, a follow-up experiment might determine how much of the chemical is needed. Their R&D food scientists have developed a protein supplement that is designed to help build muscle mass for people that work out regularly. Retrieved March 2, 2023, There are three types of categorical variables: binary, nominal, and ordinal variables. . For example, in an experiment about the effect of nutrients on crop growth: Defining your variables, and deciding how you will manipulate and measure them, is an important part of experimental design. The researchers then compare the scores of the exams between the two groups of classrooms. The presence/absence of the chemical is the independent variable. 1 For example, in a study looking at how tutoring impacts test scores, the dependent variable would be the participants' test scores since that is what is being measured. Is the researcher trying to understand whether or how this variable affects another variable? Dependent & independent variables. You can think of independent and dependent variables in terms of cause and effect: an independent variable is the variable you think is the cause, while a dependent variable is the effect. There are two main types of independent variables. Because the researcher controls the level of the independent variable, it can be determined if the independent variable has a causal effect on the dependent variable. In statistics, dependent variables are also called: The dependent variable is what you record after youve manipulated the independent variable. Next, they randomly select university males to enter their testing facilities. A well-known fast-food corporation wants to know if the color of the interior of their restaurants will affect how fast people eat. Experiments have two fundamental features. Its essential to know which is the cause the independent variable and which is the effect the dependent variable. Learn more about our academic and editorial standards. A lot of those studies used an experimental design that involved males of various ages randomly assigned to play a graphic or non-graphic video game. In this example, the independent variable is Gatorade, and the dependent variable is heart rate. Example: Independent variable levels You are studying the impact of a new medication on the blood pressure of patients with hypertension. The independent variable is the color of the room, and the dependent variable is the amount of time spent in the room eating. The independent variable in your experiment would be the brand of paper towel. One is called the dependent variable, and the other is the independent variable. The term causation is vitally important. Independent variables also have different levels. The other half takes the same amount of something that looks the same but actually does nothing to the body. Wan L, Zha R, Ren J, Li Y, Zhao Q, Zuo H, Zhang X. Hum Brain Mapp. About The Helpful Professor Vehicle Exhaust and Cognitive Performance, Mastery Learning: 10 Examples, Strengths & Limitations. For experimental data, you analyze your results by generating descriptive statistics and visualizing your findings. National Library of Medicine 2011, Article ID 960583. https://doi.org/10.1155/2011/960583. Well, there are a lot of ways. 8600 Rockville Pike J Exp Soc Psychol. independent and dependent variable examples thoughtco, understanding co2 lasers, inferring from data home ubalt edu, independent variables and dependent . Many companies, large and small, will keep their recipe a top secret. Independent and Dependent Variables: Differences & Examples The independent variable is the variable the experimenter manipulates or changes, and is assumed to have a direct effect on the dependent variable. We rely on the most current and reputable sources, which are cited in the text and listed at the bottom of each article. For example, in a plant growth study, the independent variables might be soil moisture (continuous) and type of fertilizer (categorical). The researchers record how much time elapses from the moment they enter the room to the moment they leave. Of course, you could also measure the number of unpopped kernels instead. Other variations of an experiment might include having multiple levels of the independent variable. Each of these types of variables can be broken down into further types. They are sometimes recorded as numbers, but the numbers represent categories rather than actual amounts of things. SPICE (Setting, Perspective, Intervention/phenomenon of Interest, Comparison, Evaluation) Appropriate for : evaluating the outcomes of a service, project, or intervention For example: Your independent variable is social media use, and you assign groups to low, medium, and high levels of social media use to find out if there is a difference in hours of sleep per night. Does this variable come before the other variable in time? Yes, but including more than one of either type requires multiple research questions. Choosing which variables to measure is central to good experimental design. No. Based on your findings, you can estimate the degree to which your independent variable variation drives changes in your dependent variable. Accessibility A variable that cant be directly measured, but that you represent via a proxy. Read our, Introduction to Psychology Research Methods, Internal Validity vs. These concepts should not be confused with predictor and outcome variables. People who exercise regularly sleep better at night. In a study to determine whether how long a student sleeps affects test scores, the independent variable is the length of time spent sleeping while the dependent variable is the test score. from https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/types-of-variables/, Types of Variables in Research & Statistics | Examples, , the terms dependent and independent dont apply, because you are not trying to establish a cause and effect relationship (. Is the variable manipulated, controlled, or used as a subject grouping method by the researcher? The brand of fertilizer is the independent variable. Since then, there have been hundreds of studies conducted by psychologists and other researchers. To keep track of your salt-tolerance experiment, you make a data sheet where you record information about the variables in the experiment, like salt addition and plant health. They enlist the cooperation of over 120 gym rats that work out 5 days a week. Studentsshould always cross-check any information on this site with their course teacher. Accessibility Of course, they would prefer that consumers enter and exit quickly to increase sales volume and profit. What part of the experiment does the variable represent? The key point here is that we have made it absolutely clear what we mean by the terms as they were studied and measured in our experiment. finishing places in a race), classifications (e.g. Content is fact checked after it has been edited and before publication. The presence/absence of the chemical is the independent variable. Here, the amount of chemical would be the independent variable and the rat health would be the dependent variable. All of the athletes are given the exact same amount of liquid to consume 30-minutes before and during their run. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education and holds a PhD in Education from ACU. Is the variable something that cannot be changed but that is not dependent on other variables in the experiment? With In research, variables are any characteristics that can take on different values, such as height, age, temperature, or test scores. By varying the level of the independent variable and observing associated changes in the dependent variable, a researcher can conclude whether the independent variable affects the dependent variable or not. In these experimental studies, the independent variable was graphic video games, and the dependent variable was observed level of aggression. The independent variable (IV) in psychology is the characteristic of an experiment that is manipulated or changed by researchers, not by other variables in the experiment. ThoughtCo, Aug. 27, 2020, thoughtco.com/independent-and-dependent-variable-examples-606828. 3. Blazing Angels or Resident Evil? Changes in . The researchers identified 120 patients with relatively similar types of cancerous tumors in both size and stage of progression. In an experiment, one group of students attends an after-school tutoring session twice a week while another group of students does not receive this additional assistance. The other variables in the sheet cant be classified as independent or dependent, but they do contain data that you will need in order to interpret your dependent and independent variables. 2023 Dotdash Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Variables that are held constant throughout the experiment.

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