The Dependent and independent variables Are sets of logical attributes that are sought to observe and measure as changing factors in scientific or social studies.
In attempting to find out and discover how the world works, man has used experimentation to answer those questions, and one of the most widely used and recognized methods has been that of cause and effect relationships.
Scientists have developed a way to explain why things happen in cause and effect studies and thus predict fairly accurately what can happen if changes occur with the factors involved in the case studied.
The things that change in the experiment are the variables. The study seeks to isolate or replicate the conditions to control the changes and thus to be able to observe, measure and make predictions based on these modifications and their results.
In a study it is very important to clearly define the variables that are to be observed to guarantee that the results are faithful.
Identifying which variable to modify affects another variable is one of the first steps before starting the experiment or observation stage.
The variables necessarily form part of the name or title of the investigation And are used equally in the research problem and in the writing of the hypothesis.
Concept of independent variable and dependent variable
Independent variable
It is the changeable factor within the study. It can stand alone and is not affected by anything the experimenter does or by another variable within the same experiment; Hence its name"independent."
It is the variable that can be managed or manipulated systematically by the experimenter, whose controlled changes have a direct effect on the dependent variable.
Speaking from the mathematical point of view, they are the input elements to the equation Or model of study and is represented in the axis of the abscissa (x) in a graph.
In other words, it is the alleged"cause"in the relationship being studied. Generally a single is chosen as an independent variable to avoid that several factors at once have effects on the dependent variable.
If that happens, it would be difficult to identify and measure which of the modifications in the"independent"variables is what is causing changes in observed behavior.
The independent variable is also known as a controlled variable or predictive variable depending on the type of study.
Dependent variable
It is the changeable factor within the study whose behavior ends up being affected by the factors that the experimenter manipulates. Hence its name, since it"depends"on the changes made to the independent variable.
It is the focus of the general study in which the experimenter focuses his observations and measurements, to see how his behavior responds to controlled changes. In other words, it is the alleged"effect"of the relationship studied.
It is represented on the y-axis of a graph, since they are the output elements of a functional model or equation. The observed changes in this variable are meticulously recorded as a fundamental part of the results of the experiment.
Depending on the type of study, it can also be known as an experimental variable, measurement variable or response variable.
Identifying dependent and independent variables (with examples)
The simple name"dependent"or"independent"could give the impression of not needing further explanation to understand its nature, since its definitions seem to be very easy and universal.
Especially in the social or behavioral sciences, the correct identification of study variables may be confusing or not so obvious. For this reason it is extremely important to manage the differences to ensure that the results are relevant and significant
Many academics do not recommend using the terms"dependent"and"independent"for studies that are not experimental or in line with the scientific method.
Even so, they remain part of the methodological approach most commonly used in social research.
The following exercise is a quick way to identify or differentiate the selected variables by inserting the names of study variables in the sentence in a meaningful way:
- The / The / The [ independent variable ] Causes a change in the [ dependent variable ], And it is impossible for the [ dependent variable ] May cause changes in the [ independent variable ].
Examples
1 - Using the following 2 variables from one study,"positive comments"and" self esteem "With the suggested exercise would read as follows: Positive comments cause a change in self-esteem and it is impossible for self-esteem to cause changes in positive comments.
From a more logical and scientific point of view, the above proposition makes a lot of sense and works to illustrate the identification and differentiation between dependent and independent variables.
As mentioned in previous points, with a much deeper study from the social or psychological point of view, it could be debated cases in which having a good self-esteem can cause positive effects in people that could be translated into positive comments.
2- In"Exposure to more sunlight increases the levels of happiness In workers who remain all day in closed offices,"when using the suggested exercise, exposure to the sun would result as the independent variable and level of happiness would be dependent.
The independent could be controlled with the exposure time (hours, days, weeks), and the dependent with a multiple scale where the workers are asked at the end of the day simply how they feel.
3- In the question"What are the benefits or aggravating social networks In children?", Social networks can clearly be identified as the independent variable, because it is assumed to cause a beneficial or aggravating effect on children. This effect is what is proposed as the object of study, therefore it is the dependent variable.
4 - How much water flows through a faucet in different openings?: The independent variable would be the opening of the water faucet controlled as closed, little open, half open and completely open. The dependent variable would be the flow of water measured in liters per minute.
5 - An electric motor rotates faster by increasing the voltage: electricity voltage controlled in volts, independent variable. Rotation speed measured in revolutions per minute, dependent variable.
References
- Karl L. Wuensc (2004). Independent Variables and Dependent Variables. East Carolina University - Department of Psychology. Retrieved from core.ecu.edu.
- Robert V. Labaree (2017). Organizing Your Social Sciences Research Paper: Independent and Dependent Variables. University of Southern California - USC Libraries - Research Guides. Retrieved from libguides.usc.edu.
- Todd Helmenstine (2017). What Is the Difference Between Independent and Dependent Variables? Independent vs. Dependent Variables. ThoughtCO. Retrieved from thoughtco.com.
- Graphic Tutorial what are independent and dependent variables? Retrieved from nces.ed.gov.
- Office of Research Integrity (ORI). Case example for Independent and Dependent variables. ORI Curriculum Examples - Basic Research Concepts. Retrieved from ori.hhs.gov.
- Science Buddies. Variables in Your Science Fair Project. Retrieved from sciencebuddies.org.
- Andale (2014). Dependent Variable: Definition and Examples / Independent Variable (Treatment Variable) Definition and Uses. Statistics How To. Retrieved from statistics.com.