What is the experimental variable also called?

A variable is something that can be changed or altered, such as a characteristic or value. Variables are generally used in psychology experiments to determine if changes to one thing result in changes to another.

Variables play a critical role in the psychological research process. By systematically changing some variables in an experiment and measuring what happens as a result, researchers are able to learn more about cause-and-effect relationships.

This article discusses different types of variables that are used in psychology research. It also covers how to operationalize these variables when conducting experiments.

Dependent and Independent Variables

Students often report problems with identifying the independent and dependent variables in an experiment. While this task can become more difficult as the complexity of an experiment increases, in a psychology experiment:

• The independent variable is the variable that is manipulated by the experimenter. For example, in an experiment on the impact of sleep deprivation on test performance, sleep deprivation would be the independent variable. The experimenters would have some of the study participants be sleep-deprived while others would be fully rested.
• The dependent variable is the variable that is measured by the experimenter. In the previous example, the scores on the test performance measure would be the dependent variable.

So how do you differentiate between the independent and dependent variables? Start by asking yourself what the experimenter is manipulating. The things that change, either naturally or through direct manipulation from the experimenter, are generally the independent variables. What is being measured? The dependent variable is the one that the experimenter is measuring.

Intervening Variables

Intervening variables, also sometimes called intermediate or mediator variables, are factors that play a role in the relationship between two other variables. In the previous example, sleep problems in university students are often influenced by factors such as stress.As a result, stress might be an intervening variable that plays a role in how much sleep people get, which may then influence how well they perform on exams.

How Psychologists Use Experimental Methods

Extraneous Variables

Independent and dependent variables are not the only variables present in many experiments. In some cases, extraneous variables may also play a role. This type of variable is one that may have an impact on the relationship between the independent and dependent variables.

For example, in our previous example of an experiment on the effects of sleep deprivation on test performance, other factors such as age, gender, and academic background may have an impact on the results. In such cases, the experimenter will note the values of these extraneous variables so any impact can be controlled for.

There are two basic types of extraneous variables:

• Participant variables: These extraneous variables are related to the individual characteristics of each study participant that may impact how they respond. These factors can include background differences, mood, anxiety, intelligence, awareness, and other characteristics that are unique to each person.
• Situational variables: These extraneous variables are related to things in the environment that may impact how each participant responds. For example, if a participant is taking a test in a chilly room, the temperature would be considered an extraneous variable. Some participants may not be affected by the cold, but others might be distracted or annoyed by the temperature of the room.

Other extraneous variables include the following:

• Demand characteristics: Clues in the environment that suggest how a participant should behave
• Experimenter effects: When a researcher unintentionally suggests clues for how a participant should behave

Controlled Variables

In many cases, extraneous variables are controlled for by the experimenter. A controlled variable is one that is held constant throughout an experiment.

In the case of participant variables, the experiment might select participants that are the same in background and temperament to ensure that these factors don't interfere with the results. Holding these variables constant is important for an experiment because it allows researchers to be sure that all other variables remain the same across all conditions.  

Using controlled variables means that when changes occur, the researchers can be sure that these changes are due to the manipulation of the independent variable and not caused by changes in other variables.

It is important to also note that a controlled variable is not the same thing as a control group. The control group in a study is the group of participants who do not receive the treatment or change in the independent variable.

All other variables between the control group and experimental group are held constant (i.e., they are controlled). The dependent variable being measured is then compared between the control group and experimental group to see what changes occurred because of the treatment.

Confounding Variables

If a variable cannot be controlled for, it becomes what is known as a confounding variable. This type of variable can have an impact on the dependent variable, which can make it difficult to determine if the results are due to the influence of the independent variable, the confounding variable, or an interaction of the two.

How to Operationalize a Variable

Before conducting a psychology experiment, it is essential to create firm operational definitions for both the independent variable and dependent variable. An operational definition describes how the variables are measured and defined in the study.

For example, in our imaginary experiment on the effects of sleep deprivation on test performance, we would need to create very specific operational definitions for our two variables. If our hypothesis is "Students who are sleep deprived will score significantly lower on a test," then we would have a few different concepts to define.

First, what do we mean by "students?" In our example, let’s define students as participants enrolled in an introductory university-level psychology course. Next, we need to operationally define the "sleep deprivation" variable. In our example, let’s say that sleep deprivation refers to those participants who have had less than five hours of sleep the night before the test.

Finally, we need to create an operational definition for the test variable. For this example, the test variable will be defined as a student’s score on a chapter exam in the introductory psychology course. Once all the variables are operationalized, we're ready to conduct the experiment.

Summary

Variables play an important part in psychology research. Manipulating an independent variable and measuring the dependent variable allows researchers to determine if there is a cause-and-effect relationship between them.

A Word From Verywell

Understanding the different types of variables used in psychology research is important if you want to conduct your own psychology experiments. It is also helpful for people who want to better understand what the results of psychology research really mean and become more informed consumers of psychology information.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Which type of investigations typically include independent and dependent variables?

  Independent and dependent variables are used in experimental research. Unlike some other types of research (such as correlational studies), experiments allow researchers to evaluate cause-and-effect relationships between two variables.

• How do you determine the strength of a relationship between two variables?

  Researchers can use statistical analyses to determine the strength of a relationship between two variables in an experiment. Two of the most common ways to do this are to calculate a p-value or a correlation. The p-value indicates if the results are statistically significant while the correlation can indicate the strength of the relationship.

  What is the experimental variable called?

  Variables are given a special name that only applies to experimental investigations. One is called the dependent variable and the other the independent variable. The independent variable is the variable the experimenter manipulates or changes, and is assumed to have a direct effect on the dependent variable.

  Is independent variable also called experimental variable?

  Experimental variables: An experimental independent variable is one that researchers can manipulate to test downstream outcomes. Experimental variables are also called controlled variables due to researchers' ability to control them. 2. Subject variables: Subject variables cannot be controlled by researchers.

  What is a variable also called?

  A variable is any characteristics, number, or quantity that can be measured or counted. A variable may also be called a data item.

  What is independent variable also called?

  Independent variables are also called: Explanatory variables (they explain an event or outcome) Predictor variables (they can be used to predict the value of a dependent variable) Right-hand-side variables (they appear on the right-hand side of a regression equation).