Experiments & Variables
Experiments are generally thought to be the most reliable and effective way of demonstrating that one variable causes another to change – that it has an effect on another, for example to demonstrate that alcohol causes reaction times to slow down.
In psychology we talk about these variables as the independent (IV) and dependent variables (DV).
Define:
IV =
DV =
Extraneous variables are……………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Confounding variables are.………..…………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..
How can extraneous variables be controlled?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Use the course textbook to find the IV and DV in Andrade’s experiment into Doodling
Write:
a) Aim of the Study:
b) IV =
c) DV =
Answers
Answer:
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Independent Variable in Psychology Experiments
By Kendra Cherry Updated on August 18, 2019
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The independent variable is the characteristic of a psychology experiment that is manipulated or changed. For example, in an experiment looking at the effects of studying on test scores, studying would be the independent variable. Researchers are trying to determine if changes to the independent variable (studying) result in significant changes to the dependent variable (the test results).
Observations About the Independent Variable
"Why is the independent variable labeled the independent variable? Because it is independent of research participants' actions—participants have no control over what condition or group they are assigned to. It is the experimenter who manipulates the independent variable, whereas participants have nothing to do with it (they are simply exposed to one version of the independent variable)."1