Independent and dependent variable

1. Independent and dependent variables

An independent variable is the variable that the experimenter intentionally changes or controls. The dependent variable is the factor that the research measures. It changes in response to the independent variable or depends upon it.

For example, in an experiment to test the effects of different types of fertilizer on plant growth, the independent variable would be the type of fertilizer, and the dependent variable would be the plant growth.

The independent variable is often called the “cause” and the dependent variable is often called the “effect.” However, it is important to note that correlation does not equal causation. Just because two variables are correlated does not mean that one causes the other.

1. Quantitative journal article

I found a quantitative journal article in the field of psychology titled “The Effects of Exercise on Mood and Cognition in Older Adults”

The research questions of the article are:

• What are the effects of exercise on mood in older adults?
• What are the effects of exercise on cognition in older adults?

The independent variable in the article is the amount of exercise, which was manipulated by having participants exercise for different amounts of time. The dependent variables in the article are mood and cognition, which were measured using a variety of questionnaires.

The authors measured mood using the Profile of Mood States (POMS) questionnaire, and they measured cognition using the Trail Making Test (TMT).

1. Possible variables for my own study

I am interested in the effects of social media use on mental health in adolescents. Some possible variables for my own study could include:

• Independent variables:
  • Amount of time spent on social media
  • Type of social media used
  • Frequency of social media use
• Dependent variables:
  • Mental health symptoms (e.g., anxiety, depression, self-esteem)
  • Social functioning (e.g., peer relationships, school performance)

I could measure the dependent variables using a variety of methods, such as questionnaires, interviews, and behavioral observations.

1. Qualitative study

I am also interested in the phenomenon of cyberbullying. Some possible variables for a qualitative study on cyberbullying could include:

• Variable of interest/phenomenon: Cyberbullying
• Methods for collecting data:
  • Interviews with victims of cyberbullying
  • Focus groups with students about their experiences with cyberbullying
  • Observations of online interactions between students

I could use the data collected from these methods to understand the experiences of victims of cyberbullying, the factors that contribute to cyberbullying, and the ways in which cyberbullying can be prevented.