The independent and dependent variables are the two key variables in a science experiment. The independent variable is the one the experimenter controls. The dependent variable is the variable that changes in response to the independent variable.
What is the difference between an independent variable and a dependent variable?
KEY DIFFERENCES:
- An Independent variable is a variable whose value never depends on another variable whereas a dependent variable is a variable whose value depends on another variable.
- The Independent variable is the presumed cause. ...
- Independent variables are the predictors or regressors but dependent variables are often referred as the predicted variable.
What is the difference between the independent and dependent variable?
Independent variables are the one manipulated or changed in an experiment, while the dependent variables are the ones showing the effect or the former. 2. The outcome of the dependent variable depends on the independent variable. 3. Independent variable is changed then the dependent variable is measured to come up with the accurate conclusion.
What are some facts about independent and dependent variable?
Independent vs Dependent Variable
- There can be many variables in an experiment, but the two key variables that are always present are the independent and dependent variable.
- The independent variable is the one that the researcher intentionally changes or controls.
- The dependent variable is the factor that the research measures. ...
What are some examples of independent and dependent variables?
independent variable - the variable that the research changes (for example, the weight-control medication that a certain research group gets) dependent variable - the variable that the researcher is testing and measuring in relation to the independent variable (for example, how much weight the research group actually loses)
What is the definition of independent variable in science?
Question: What's an independent variable? Answer: An independent variable is exactly what it sounds like. It is a variable that stands alone and isn't changed by the other variables you are trying to measure. For example, someone's age might be an independent variable.
What is independent and dependent variable with example?
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. You want to compare brands of paper towels, to see which holds the most liquid.
What is a dependent variable example?
The dependent variable is the variable that is being measured or tested in an experiment. 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.
What is the difference between dependent and independent variable?
In analytical health research there are generally two types of variables. Independent variables are what we expect will influence dependent variables. A Dependent variable is what happens as a result of the independent variable.
What is an independent variable?
An independent variable is the variable you manipulate or vary in an experimental study to explore its effects. It’s called “independent” because it’s not influenced by any other variables in the study.
How to tell if a variable is independent or dependent?
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. In an experiment, you manipulate the independent variable and measure the outcome in the dependent variable. For example, in an experiment about the effect ...
What are the variables in a cause and effect relationship?
The variables in a study of a cause-and-effect relationship are called the independent and dependent variables. The independent variable is the cause. Its value is independent of other variables in your study. The dependent variable is the effect. Its value depends on changes in the independent variable.
What are variables in research?
In research, variables are any characteristics that can take on different values, such as height, age, species, or exam score . In scientific research, we often want to study the effect of one variable on another one. For example, you might want to test whether students who spend more time studying get better exam scores.
Why is the independent variable applied at different levels?
The independent variable is usually applied at different levels to see how the outcome differs.
How many independent variables can you change at a time?
To ensure the internal validity of an experiment, you should only change one independent variable at a time.
What side of a regression equation are the variables?
Right-hand -side variables (they appear on the right-hand side of a regression equation).
What is the difference between independent and dependent variables?
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. If you write out the variables in a sentence that shows cause and effect, the independent variable causes the effect on the dependent variable. If you have the variables in the wrong order, the sentence won't make sense.
What is dependent variable?
The dependent variable is the condition that you measure in an experiment. 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. Sometimes the dependent variable is called the "responding variable."
What happens when you write out variables in a sentence?
If you write out the variables in a sentence that shows cause and effect, the independent variable causes the effect on the dependent variable. If you have the variables in the wrong order, the sentence won't make sense. Independent variable causes an effect on the dependent variable. Example: How long you sleep (independent variable) ...
What is the difference between the x and y axis of a graph?
There is a standard method for graphing the independent and dependent variable. The x-axis is the independent variable, while the y-axis is the dependent variable. You can use the DRY MIX acronym to help remember how to graph variables: Test your understanding with the scientific method quiz .
What causes an effect on the dependent variable?
Independent variable causes an effect on the dependent variable.
Why is the variable independent?
It is called independent because its value does not depend on and is not affected by the state of any other variable in the experiment. Sometimes you may hear this variable called the "controlled variable" because it is the one that is changed. Do not confuse it with a "control variable," which is a variable ...
Is the presence or absence of a chemical an independent variable?
The presence/absence of the chemical is the independent variable. The health of the rat (whether it lives and can reproduce) is the dependent variable. If you determine the substance is necessary for proper nutrition, a follow-up experiment might determine how much of the chemical is needed. Here, the amount of chemical would be ...
What Is an Independent Variable?
An independent variable is the variable the experimenter controls. Basically, it is the component you choose to change in an experiment. This variable is not dependent on any other variables.
What is the independent variable in a plant growth experiment?
For example, in the plant growth experiment, the independent variable is the light color. The light color is not affected by anything. You will choose different light colors like green, red, yellow, etc. You are not measuring the light.
What Is a Variable?
A variable is any quantity that you are able to measure in some way. This could be temperature, height, age, etc. Basically, a variable is anything that contributes to the outcome or result of your experiment in any way.
Why are controlled variables not graphed?
Controlled variables are usually not graphed because they should not change. They could, however, be graphed as a verification that other conditions are not changing . For example, after graphing the growth as compared to light, you could also look at how the temperature varied across different conditions. If you notice that it did vary quite ...
What is a control variable in science?
A control variable in science is any other parameter affecting your experiment that you try to keep the same across all conditions. For example, one control variable in the plant growth experiment could be temperature.
What are the parameters of what you would change and what you would keep the same called?
These parameters of what you would change and what you would keep the same are called variables . Take a look at how all of these parameters in an experiment are defined, as independent, dependent and controlled variables .
When graphing the results of an experiment, it is important to remember which variable goes on which axis?
When graphing the results of your experiment, it is important to remember which variable goes on which axis. The independent variable is graphed on the x-axis. The dependent variable, which changes in response to the independent variable, is graphed on the y-axis. Controlled variables are usually not graphed because they should not change.
What is the dependent variable of a doctor?
Independent variable: dosage level of medicine. Dependent variable: blood pressure.
What are the two main variables in an experiment?
In an experiment, there are two main variables: The independent variable: the variable that an experimenter changes or controls so that they can observe the effects on the dependent variable . The dependent variable: the variable being measured in an experiment that is “dependent” on the independent variable. In an experiment, an experimenter is ...
What is an experimenter interested in?
In an experiment, an experimenter is interested in seeing how the dependent variable changes as a result of the independent being changed or manipulated in some way.
Is growth rate an independent variable?
The growth rate is the dependent variable because it is directly dependent on the amount of water that the plant receives and it’s the variable we’re interested in measuring.
Is water an independent variable or dependent variable?
This is how we know that amount of water is the independent variable and plant growth rate is the dependent variable.
What is the difference between independent and dependent variables?
When graphing data for an experiment, the independent variable is plotted on the x-axis, while the dependent variable is recorded on the y-axis. An easy way to keep the two variables straight is to use the acronym DRY MIX, which stands for:
What is an independent variable?
Independent variables are the variables that the experimenter changes to test their dependent variable. A change in the independent variable directly causes a change in the dependent variable. The effect on the dependent variable is measured and recorded. Common Misspellings: independant variable.
What are the two main variables in a science experiment?
The two main variables in a science experiment are the independent variable and the dependent variable. Here's the definition on independent variable and a look at how it's used:
What is the independent variable of a moth reaction?
The independent variable is the amount of light and the moth's reaction is the dependent variable . In a study to determine the effect of temperature on plant pigmentation, the independent variable (cause) is the temperature, while the amount of pigment or color is the dependent variable (the effect).
What is the variable that responds to the change in the independent variable?
The variable that responds to the change in the independent variable is called the dependent variable. It depends on the independent variable. The independent variable is graphed on the x-axis.
Does the scientist have control over the student test scores?
On the other hand, the scientist has no control on the students' test scores. The independent variable always changes in an experiment, even if there is just a control and an experimental group. The dependent variable may or may not change in response to the independent variable. In the example regarding sleep and student test scores, ...
Can the dependent variable remain unchanged?
The difficulty is that the value of both of these variables can change. It's even possible for the dependent variable to remain unchanged in response to controlling the independent variable.
What is dependent variable?
Updated January 24, 2020. A dependent variable is the variable being tested in a scientific experiment. The dependent variable is "dependent" on the independent variable. As the experimenter changes the independent variable, the change in the dependent variable is observed and recorded.
Is egg size dependent or independent?
The size of the eggs depends on the breed of chicken, so breed is the independent variable and egg size is the dependent variable. You want to know whether or not stress affects heart rate. Your independent variable is the stress, while the dependent variable would be the heart rate. To perform an experiment, you would provide stress ...
Is rate of growth dependent variable?
The rate of growth is the dependent variable . So, to perform an experiment, you would fertilize plants with one fertilizer and measure the change in height of the plant over time, then switch fertilizers and measure the height of plants over the same span of time.
What Is An Independent variable?
Types of Independent Variables
- There are two main types of independent variables. 1. Experimental independent variablescan be directly manipulated by researchers. 2. Subject variablescannot be manipulated by researchers, but they can be used to group research subjects categorically.
What Is A Dependent variable?
- A dependent variable is the variable that changes as a result of the independent variable manipulation. It’s the outcome you’re interested in measuring, and it “depends” on your independent variable. In statistics, dependent variables are also called: 1. Response variables (they respond to a change in another variable) 2. Outcome variables (they re...
Identifying Independent vs. Dependent Variables
- Distinguishing between independent and dependent variables can be tricky when designing a complex study or reading an academic paper. A dependent variable from one study can be the independent variable in another study, so it’s important to pay attention to research design. Here are some tips for identifying each variable type.
Independent and Dependent Variables in Research
- Independent and dependent variables are generally used in experimental and quasi-experimentalresearch. Here are some examples of research questions and corresponding independent and dependent variables. For experimental data, you analyze your results by generating descriptive statistics and visualizing your findings. Then, you select an appropriate st…
Visualizing Independent and Dependent Variables
- In quantitative research, it’s good practice to use charts or graphs to visualize the results of studies. Generally, the independent variable goes on the x-axis (horizontal) and the dependent variable on the y-axis (vertical). The type of visualization you use depends on the variable types in your research questions: 1. A bar chartis ideal when you have a categorical independent variable…
What Is A variable?
Dependent Variables
- The dependent variable is the variable that a researcher measures to determine the effect of the independent variable. The dependent variable depends on the independent variable. In our experiment, the dependent variable would be the change in self-reported mood.
Independent Variables
- The independent variable is the variable that the researcher or experimenter manipulates to affect the dependent variable. It is independent of the other variables in an experiment. In other words, the independent variable causes some kind of change in the dependent variable. In our experiment, the independent variable would be the noise in the roo...
Examples of Experiments with Variables
- Now that we understand that the dependent variable is the variable being measured to determine the effect of the independent variable (the variable causing the effect), let’s work through a few more examples.
How Are Dependent and Independent Variables Used in Psychology Research?
- The examples above help us understand why independent and dependent variables are so important to psychological research. In psychology, researchers often want to understand how and why people think, feel, and behave in certain ways. In order to answer questions about people’s motivation, cognition, emotions, and behavior, we often use experiments. Whether you’r…
FAQs
- Can a variable be both independent and dependent?
No, a variable cannot be both independent and dependent at the same time. You can think of the independent variable as the cause and the dependent variable as the effect. You cannot have something in an experiment that is both the cause and the effect. In other words, the independe… - Can you include more than one independent or dependent variable in a study?
Yes, you can include more than one independent or dependent variable in a study. For example, you might have one independent variable that affects multiple dependent variables or a couple of independent variables that affect one dependent variable. Keep in mind that, generally, the more …