{"id":155838,"date":"2022-02-03T14:49:18","date_gmt":"2022-02-03T13:49:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.nl\/?p=155838"},"modified":"2023-06-22T10:28:32","modified_gmt":"2023-06-22T08:28:32","slug":"independent-and-dependent-variables","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/methodology\/independent-and-dependent-variables\/","title":{"rendered":"Independent vs. Dependent Variables | Definition &#038; Examples"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>In research, <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//types-of-variables///">variables<\/a> are any characteristics that can take on different values, such as height, age, temperature, or test scores.<\/p>\n<p>Researchers often manipulate or measure independent and dependent variables in studies to test cause-and-effect relationships.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">The <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//independent-and-dependent-variables//#independent\"><strong>independent variable<\/strong><\/a> is the cause. Its value is <strong>independent <\/strong>of other variables in your study.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">The <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//independent-and-dependent-variables//#dependent\"><strong>dependent variable<\/strong><\/a> is the effect. Its value <strong>depends <\/strong>on changes in the independent variable.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure class=\"kb-textbox border-left purple\"><figcaption>Example: Independent and dependent variables<\/figcaption>You design a study to test whether changes in room temperature have an effect on math test scores.<\/p>\n<p>Your <strong>independent variable<\/strong> is the temperature of the room. You vary the room temperature by making it cooler for half the participants, and warmer for the other half.<\/p>\n<p>Your <strong>dependent variable<\/strong> is math test scores. You measure the math skills of all participants using a standardized test and check whether they differ based on room temperature.<\/figure>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"independent\">What is an independent variable?<\/h2>\n<p>An independent variable is the variable you manipulate or vary in an <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//experimental-design///">experimental study<\/a> to explore its effects. It\u2019s called \u201cindependent\u201d because it\u2019s not influenced by any other variables in the study.<\/p>\n<p>Independent variables are also called:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//explanatory-and-response-variables///">Explanatory variables<\/a> (they explain an event or outcome)<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Predictor variables (they can be used to predict the value of a dependent variable)<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Right-hand-side variables (they appear on the right-hand side of a <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//statistics//simple-linear-regression///">regression<\/a> equation).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>These terms are especially used in <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//category//statistics///">statistics<\/a>, where you estimate the extent to which an independent variable change can explain or predict changes in the dependent variable.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"types\">Types of independent variables<\/h2>\n<p>There are two main types of independent variables.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><strong>Experimental independent variables<\/strong> can be directly manipulated by researchers.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><strong>Subject variables<\/strong> cannot be manipulated by researchers, but they can be used to group research subjects categorically.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Experimental variables<\/h3>\n<p>In experiments, you manipulate independent variables directly to see how they <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//commonly-confused-words//affect-vs-effect///">affect<\/a> your dependent variable. The independent variable is usually applied at different levels to see how the outcomes differ.<\/p>\n<p>You can apply just two levels in order to find out <strong>if <\/strong>an independent variable has an effect at all.<\/p>\n<p>You can also apply multiple levels to find out <strong>how<\/strong> the independent variable affects the dependent variable.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"kb-textbox border-left purple\"><figcaption>Example: Independent variable levels<\/figcaption>You are studying the impact of a new medication on the blood pressure of patients with hypertension. Your independent variable is the treatment that you directly vary between groups.<\/p>\n<p>You have three independent variable levels, and each group gets a different level of treatment.<\/p>\n<p>You <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//random-assignment///">randomly assign<\/a> your patients to one of the three groups:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">A low-dose experimental group<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">A high-dose experimental group<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">A placebo group (to research a possible <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//research-bias//placebo-effect///">placebo effect<\/a>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/figure>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//wp-content//uploads//2022//02//Example-Independent-and-dependent-variables.webp/" alt=\"Independent and dependent variables\" width=\"660\" class=\"aligncenter size-full mt-3 mb-5\" \/><\/p>\n<p>A <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//controlled-experiment///">true experiment<\/a> requires you to randomly assign different levels of an independent variable to your participants.<\/p>\n<p>Random assignment helps you <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//control-variable///">control<\/a> participant characteristics, so that they don\u2019t affect your experimental results. This helps you to have confidence that your dependent variable results come solely from the independent variable manipulation.<\/p>\n<h3>Subject variables<\/h3>\n<p>Subject variables are characteristics that vary across participants, and they can\u2019t be manipulated by researchers. For example, gender identity, ethnicity, race, income, and education are all important subject variables that social researchers treat as independent variables.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s not possible to randomly assign these to participants, since these are characteristics of already existing groups. Instead, you can create a research design where you compare the outcomes of groups of participants with characteristics. This is a <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//quasi-experimental-design///">quasi-experimental design<\/a> because there\u2019s no random assignment. Note that any research methods that use non-random assignment are at risk for <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//faq-category//research-bias///">research biases<\/a> like <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//research-bias//selection-bias///">selection bias<\/a> and <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//research-bias//sampling-bias///">sampling bias<\/a>.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"kb-textbox border-left purple\"><figcaption>Example: Quasi-experimental design<\/figcaption>You study whether gender identity affects neural responses to infant cries.<\/p>\n<p>Your independent variable is a subject variable, namely the gender identity of the participants. You have three groups: men, women and other.<\/p>\n<p>Your dependent variable is the brain activity response to hearing infant cries. You record brain activity with fMRI scans when participants hear infant cries without their awareness.<\/p>\n<p>After collecting data, you check for <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//statistics//statistical-significance///">statistically significant<\/a> differences between the groups. You find some and conclude that gender identity influences brain responses to infant cries.<\/figure>\n<h2 id=\"dependent\">What is a dependent variable?<\/h2>\n<p>A dependent variable is the variable that changes as a result of the independent variable manipulation. It\u2019s the outcome you\u2019re interested in measuring, and it \u201cdepends\u201d on your independent variable.<\/p>\n<p>In <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//category//statistics///">statistics<\/a>, dependent variables are also called:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//explanatory-and-response-variables///">Response variables<\/a> (they respond to a change in another variable)<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Outcome variables (they represent the outcome you want to measure)<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Left-hand-side variables (they appear on the left-hand side of a regression equation)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The dependent variable is what you record after you\u2019ve manipulated the independent variable. You use this measurement data to check whether and to what extent your independent variable influences the dependent variable by conducting statistical analyses.<\/p>\n<p>Based on your findings, you can estimate the degree to which your independent variable variation drives changes in your dependent variable. You can also predict how much your dependent variable will change as a result of variation in the independent variable.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"vs\">Identifying independent vs. dependent variables<\/h2>\n<p>Distinguishing between independent and dependent variables can be tricky when designing a complex study or reading an academic <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//category//research-paper///">research paper<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>A dependent variable from one study can be the independent variable in another study, so it\u2019s important to pay attention to <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//research-design///">research design<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Here are some tips for identifying each variable type.<\/p>\n<h3>Recognizing independent variables<\/h3>\n<p>Use this list of questions to check whether you\u2019re dealing with an independent variable:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Is the variable manipulated, controlled, or used as a subject grouping method by the researcher?<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Does this variable come before the other variable in time?<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Is the researcher trying to understand whether or how this variable affects another variable?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Recognizing dependent variables<\/h3>\n<p>Check whether you\u2019re dealing with a dependent variable:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Is this variable measured as an outcome of the study?<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Is this variable dependent on another variable in the study?<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Does this variable get measured only after other variables are altered?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 id=\"research\">Independent and dependent variables in research<\/h2>\n<p>Independent and dependent variables are generally used in <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//experimental-design///">experimental<\/a> and <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//quasi-experimental-design///">quasi-experimental<\/a> research.<\/p>\n<p>Here are some examples of research questions and corresponding independent and dependent variables.<\/p>\n<table class=\"kb-table\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Research question<\/th>\n<th>Independent variable<\/th>\n<th>Dependent variable(s)<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Do tomatoes grow fastest under fluorescent, incandescent, or natural light?<\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Type of light the tomato plant is grown under<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">The rate of growth of the tomato plant<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>What is the effect of intermittent fasting on blood sugar levels?<\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Presence or absence of intermittent fasting<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Blood sugar levels<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Is medical marijuana effective for pain reduction in people with chronic pain?<\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Presence or absence of medical marijuana use<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Frequency of pain<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Intensity of pain<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>To what extent does remote working increase job satisfaction?<\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Type of work environment (remote or in office)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Job satisfaction self-reports<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>For experimental data, you analyze your results by generating <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//statistics//descriptive-statistics///">descriptive statistics<\/a> and visualizing your findings. Then, you select an appropriate <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//statistics//statistical-tests///">statistical test<\/a> to <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//statistics//hypothesis-testing///">test your hypothesis<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The type of test is determined by:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//types-of-variables///">your variable types<\/a><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//statistics//levels-of-measurement///">level of measurement<\/a><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">number of independent variable levels.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>You\u2019ll often use <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//statistics//t-test///"><em>t<\/em> tests<\/a> or <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//statistics//one-way-anova///">ANOVAs<\/a> to analyze your data and answer your research questions.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"visualize\">Visualizing independent and dependent variables<\/h2>\n<p>In <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//quantitative-research///">quantitative research<\/a>, it\u2019s good practice to use charts or graphs to visualize the results of studies. Generally, the independent variable goes on the <em>x<\/em>-axis (horizontal) and the dependent variable on the <em>y<\/em>-axis (vertical).<\/p>\n<p>The type of visualization you use depends on the variable types in your research questions:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">A <strong>bar chart<\/strong> is ideal when you have a categorical independent variable.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">A <strong>scatter plot or line graph <\/strong>is best when your independent and dependent variables are both quantitative.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure class=\"kb-textbox border-left purple\"><figcaption>Example: Results visualization<\/figcaption>You <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//data-collection///">collect data<\/a> on blood pressure before and after treatment for all participants over a period of 2 months.<\/p>\n<p>To inspect your data, you place your independent variable of treatment level on the <em>x<\/em>-axis and the dependent variable of blood pressure on the <em>y<\/em>-axis.<\/p>\n<p>You plot bars for each treatment group before and after the treatment to show the difference in blood pressure.<\/p>\n<p>Based on your results, you note that the placebo and low-dose groups show little difference in blood pressure, while the high-dose group sees substantial improvements.<\/figure>\n<p><a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//wp-content//uploads//2022//02//independent-dependent-variables.png/"><img decoding=\"async\" src=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//wp-content//uploads//2022//02//independent-dependent-variables.png/" alt=\"independent and dependent variables\" width=\"1190\" height=\"773\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-356663\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/independent-dependent-variables.png 1190w, https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/independent-dependent-variables-300x195.png 300w, https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/independent-dependent-variables-1024x665.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.scribbr.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/independent-dependent-variables-768x499.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1190px) 100vw, 1190px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"other\">Other interesting articles<\/h2>\n<p data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\">If you want to know more about <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//category//statistics///" class=\"ProsemirrorEditor-link\">statistics<\/a>, <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//category//methodology///" class=\"ProsemirrorEditor-link\">methodology<\/a>, or <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//faq-category//research-bias///" class=\"ProsemirrorEditor-link\">research bias<\/a>, make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.<\/p>\n<div class=\"container\">\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"col-md\" style=\"background-color: #e8f2fc; padding: 1.27rem 1.56rem; line-height: 1.8; border-radius: .5rem; margin-right: 0.5rem; margin-top: 0.5rem;\">\n<p><strong><em class=\"fa fa-bar-chart\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/em>Statistics<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul style=\"padding: 5px;\">\n<li><a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//statistics//normal-distribution///">Normal distribution<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//statistics//skewness///">Skewness<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//statistics//kurtosis///">Kurtosis<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//statistics//degrees-of-freedom///">Degrees of freedom<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//statistics//variance///">Variance<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//statistics//null-and-alternative-hypotheses///">Null hypothesis<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-md\" style=\"background-color: #e8f2fc; padding: 1.27rem 1.56rem; line-height: 1.8; border-radius: .5rem; margin-right: 0.5rem; margin-top: 0.5rem;\">\n<p><strong><em class=\"fa fa-list-ul\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/em> Methodology<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul style=\"padding: 5px;\">\n<li><a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//discourse-analysis///">Discourse analysis<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//control-group///">Control groups<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//mixed-methods-research///">Mixed methods research<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//non-probability-sampling///">Non-probability sampling<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//quantitative-research///">Quantitative research<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//ecological-validity///">Ecological validity<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-md\" style=\"background-color: #e8f2fc; padding: 1.27rem 1.56rem; line-height: 1.8; border-radius: .5rem; margin-right: 0.5rem; margin-top: 0.5rem;\">\n<p><strong><em class=\"fa fa-globe\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/em> Research bias<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul style=\"padding: 5px;\">\n<li><a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//research-bias//pygmalion-effect///">Rosenthal effect<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//research-bias//implicit-bias///">Implicit bias<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//research-bias//cognitive-bias///">Cognitive bias<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//research-bias//selection-bias///">Selection bias<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//research-bias//negativity-bias///">Negativity bias<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//research-bias//status-quo-bias///">Status quo bias<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n    <h2>Frequently asked questions about independent and dependent variables<\/h2>\n<dl class=\"faq-list faq-list--arrows w-100 my-5\" itemscope itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/FAQPage\">\n            <div itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\">\n            <dt id=\"what-is-an-independent-variable\" class=\"faq-list__title\">\n                <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//frequently-asked-questions//what-is-an-independent-variable///" class=\"faq-list__link qa-faq-anchor\">\n                    <span itemprop=\"name\">\n                        What&#8217;s the definition of an independent variable?\n                    <\/span>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/dt>\n            <dd id=\"what-is-an-independent-variable-answer\" class=\"faq-list__answer qa-faq-answer kb-article-styles\" itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\n                <div itemprop=\"text\">\n                                        <p>An independent variable is the variable you manipulate, control, or vary in an <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//experimental-design///">experimental study<\/a> to explore its effects. It\u2019s called \u201cindependent\u201d because it\u2019s not influenced by any other variables in the study.<\/p>\n<p>Independent variables are also called:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//explanatory-and-response-variables///">Explanatory variables<\/a> (they explain an event or outcome)<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Predictor variables (they can be used to predict the value of a dependent variable)<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Right-hand-side variables (they appear on the right-hand side of a <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//statistics//simple-linear-regression///">regression<\/a> equation).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n                <\/div>\n            <\/dd>\n        <\/div>\n            <div itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\">\n            <dt id=\"what-is-a-dependent-variable\" class=\"faq-list__title\">\n                <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//frequently-asked-questions//what-is-a-dependent-variable///" class=\"faq-list__link qa-faq-anchor\">\n                    <span itemprop=\"name\">\n                        What&#8217;s the definition of a dependent variable?\n                    <\/span>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/dt>\n            <dd id=\"what-is-a-dependent-variable-answer\" class=\"faq-list__answer qa-faq-answer kb-article-styles\" itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\n                <div itemprop=\"text\">\n                                        <p>A dependent variable is what changes as a result of the independent variable manipulation in <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//experimental-design///">experiments<\/a>. It\u2019s what you\u2019re interested in measuring, and it \u201cdepends\u201d on your independent variable.<\/p>\n<p>In statistics, dependent variables are also called:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//explanatory-and-response-variables///">Response variables<\/a> (they respond to a change in another variable)<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Outcome variables (they represent the outcome you want to measure)<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Left-hand-side variables (they appear on the left-hand side of a regression equation)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n                <\/div>\n            <\/dd>\n        <\/div>\n            <div itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\">\n            <dt id=\"why-are-independent-and-dependent-variables-important\" class=\"faq-list__title\">\n                <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//frequently-asked-questions//why-are-independent-and-dependent-variables-important///" class=\"faq-list__link qa-faq-anchor\">\n                    <span itemprop=\"name\">\n                        Why are independent and dependent variables important?\n                    <\/span>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/dt>\n            <dd id=\"why-are-independent-and-dependent-variables-important-answer\" class=\"faq-list__answer qa-faq-answer kb-article-styles\" itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\n                <div itemprop=\"text\">\n                                        <p>Determining cause and effect is one of the most important parts of scientific research. It\u2019s essential to know which is the cause \u2013 the <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//independent-and-dependent-variables///">independent variable<\/a> \u2013 and which is the effect \u2013 the dependent variable.<\/p>\n\n                <\/div>\n            <\/dd>\n        <\/div>\n            <div itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\">\n            <dt id=\"example-of-independent-vs-dependent-variable\" class=\"faq-list__title\">\n                <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//frequently-asked-questions//example-of-independent-vs-dependent-variable///" class=\"faq-list__link qa-faq-anchor\">\n                    <span itemprop=\"name\">\n                        What is an example of an independent and a dependent variable?\n                    <\/span>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/dt>\n            <dd id=\"example-of-independent-vs-dependent-variable-answer\" class=\"faq-list__answer qa-faq-answer kb-article-styles\" itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\n                <div itemprop=\"text\">\n                                        <p>You want to find out how blood sugar levels are affected by drinking diet soda and regular soda, so you conduct an <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//experimental-design///">experiment<\/a>.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The <strong>type of soda<\/strong> \u2013 diet or regular \u2013 is the <strong><a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//independent-and-dependent-variables///">independent variable<\/a><\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>The <strong>level of blood sugar<\/strong> that you measure is the dependent variable \u2013 it changes depending on the type of soda.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n                <\/div>\n            <\/dd>\n        <\/div>\n            <div itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\">\n            <dt id=\"can-a-variable-be-independent-and-dependent\" class=\"faq-list__title\">\n                <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//frequently-asked-questions//can-a-variable-be-independent-and-dependent///" class=\"faq-list__link qa-faq-anchor\">\n                    <span itemprop=\"name\">\n                        Can a variable be both independent and dependent?\n                    <\/span>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/dt>\n            <dd id=\"can-a-variable-be-independent-and-dependent-answer\" class=\"faq-list__answer qa-faq-answer kb-article-styles\" itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\n                <div itemprop=\"text\">\n                                        <p>No. The value of a <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//independent-and-dependent-variables///">dependent variable<\/a> depends on an independent variable, so a variable cannot be both independent and dependent at the same time. It must be either the cause or the effect, not both!<\/p>\n\n                <\/div>\n            <\/dd>\n        <\/div>\n            <div itemscope itemprop=\"mainEntity\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Question\">\n            <dt id=\"more-than-one-independent-or-dependent-variable\" class=\"faq-list__title\">\n                <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//frequently-asked-questions//more-than-one-independent-or-dependent-variable///" class=\"faq-list__link qa-faq-anchor\">\n                    <span itemprop=\"name\">\n                        Can I include more than one independent or dependent variable in a study?\n                    <\/span>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/dt>\n            <dd id=\"more-than-one-independent-or-dependent-variable-answer\" class=\"faq-list__answer qa-faq-answer kb-article-styles\" itemscope itemprop=\"acceptedAnswer\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Answer\">\n                <div itemprop=\"text\">\n                                        <p>Yes, but including more than one of either type requires multiple<a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//research-process//research-questions///"> research questions<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>For example, if you are interested in the effect of a diet on health, you can use multiple measures of health: blood sugar, blood pressure, weight, pulse, and many more. Each of these is its own dependent variable with its own research question.<\/p>\n<p>You could also choose to look at the effect of exercise levels as well as diet, or even the additional effect of the two combined. Each of these is a separate <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//independent-and-dependent-variables///">independent variable<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>To ensure the<a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//internal-validity///"> internal validity<\/a> of an <a href=https://www.scribbr.com/"https:////www.scribbr.com//methodology//experimental-design///">experiment<\/a>, you should only change one independent variable at a time.<\/p>\n\n                <\/div>\n            <\/dd>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/dl>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In research, variables are any characteristics that can take on different values, such as height, age, temperature, or test scores. Researchers often manipulate or measure independent and dependent variables in studies to test cause-and-effect relationships. The independent variable is the cause. Its value is independent of other variables in your study. The dependent variable is [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":115,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":""},"categories":[23650],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<title>Independent vs. Dependent Variables | Definition &amp; Examples<\/title>\n<!-- Added by HTTrack --><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html;charset=UTF-8" /><!-- /Added by HTTrack -->
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