What is an Independent Variable?

The term independent variable comes from mathematics. In mathematics, y = f (x). In this equation the independent variable is x and the dependent variable is y. Applying this equation to the study of psychology, the independent variable refers to the factors or conditions that the researcher actively manipulates and causes the dependent variable to change. Therefore, the independent variable is regarded as the cause of the dependent variable. Independent variables are divided into continuous and categorical variables. If the independent variable manipulated by the experimenter is a continuous variable, the experiment is a functional experiment. If the independent variable manipulated by the experimenter is a categorical variable, the experiment is factorial. In psychological experiments, an obvious problem is to have an organism as a subject to respond to stimuli. Obviously, here the stimulus variable is the independent variable .

In psychological experiments, independent variables are manipulated and controlled by the experimenter

Any system (or model) is composed of various variables. When we analyze these systems (or models), we can choose to study the impact of some of these variables on other variables, then we choose these

1. Stimulus independent variables: If the different responses of the participants are caused by different characteristics of the stimulus, such as the intensity of the light and the size of the sound, we will cause the

Independent variables are manipulated variables, and dependent variables are measured or recorded variables. The difference between these two professional terms seems to confuse many readers, as some readers say-"all variables have dependencies". However, once you recognize this difference, you will find it essential. The terms independent variable and dependent variable are mainly used in experimental studies of manipulated variables. In this sense, independent variables are independent in the form, characteristics, and purpose of the response of the research object, and some other variables are dependent on the manipulated variable Or changes in experimental conditions. In other words, they respond to "what the object will do." Conflicting with the essence of this definition, the term is also used in the study of dividing the observed objects into "experimental groups" according to the original attributes of the objects, instead of manipulating the independent variables. For example, in experiments comparing male and female white blood cell counts, gender is called the independent variable, while white blood cell counts are the dependent variables.