examples of independent and dependent variables in healthcare
A confounding variable, also called a confounder or confounding factor, is a third variable in a study examining a potential cause-and-effect relationship. After three months, we measure the stress levels of each person and compare the groups. BSc (Hons), Psychology, MSc, Psychology of Education. The determination of causality is the key benefit of manipulating the independent variable and them observing changes in the dependent variable. Journal of Health Care Chaplaincy, 20(4), 161170. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education and holds a PhD in Education from ACU. 1 For example, in a study looking at how tutoring impacts test scores, the dependent variable would be the participants' test scores since that is what is being measured. confounds; dependent variable; independent variable; levels of measurement; mediation; moderation; risk factors. Independent, Dependent, and Other Variables in Healthcare and The research would look something like this: laboratory rats would be raised in three different rooms that varied in the degree of car exhaust circulating in the room: no exhaust, little exhaust, or a lot of exhaust. All of the athletes are given the exact same amount of liquid to consume 30-minutes before and during their run. It then proceeds to describe and discuss synonyms for the terms independent variable and dependent variable, including treatment, intervention, predictor, and risk factor, and synonyms for dependent variable, such as response variables and outcomes. by Sometimes you may hear this variable called the "controlled variable" because it is the one that is changed. This article was peer-reviewed and edited by Chris Drew (PhD). The health of the rat (whether it lives and reproduces) is the dependent variable. This article begins by defining the term variable and the terms independent variable and dependent variable, providing examples of each. One-way ANOVA | When and How to Use It (With Examples) - Scribbr How do we define young, old, or memory? The health of the rat (whether it lives and can reproduce) is the dependent variable. Start Making Predictions Today with Examples in Python Women are more attracted to men without earrings than men with earrings. Are researchers trying to identify how the variable influences another variable? How many minutes or hours of television a person watches is the dependent variable. Each group receives chemotherapy treatment three times a week for two months, except for the no-treatment group. Appetite is the dependent variable. All we have to do is find 90 people that are similar in age, stress levels, diet and exercise, and as many other factors as we can think of. In a study to determine whether how long a student sleeps affects test scores, the independent variable is the length of time spent sleeping while the dependent variable is the test score. This makes sense, but: Example: Your test score affects how long you sleep. An independent variable is defines as the variable that is changed or controlled in a scientific experiment. Dependent Variables | Definition & Examples. https://doi.org/10.1080/08854726.2014.959374, Manocha, R., Black, D., Sarris, J., & Stough, C.(2011). By manipulating the level of an independent variable and observing corresponding changes in a dependent variable, scientists can gain an understanding of many phenomena. The .gov means its official. It represents the cause or reason for an outcome. 15 Independent and Dependent Variable Examples (2023) - Helpful Professor In machine learning, independent variables are known as features. A confounding variable is related to both the supposed cause and the supposed effect of the study. For example, we might change the type of information (e.g., organized or random) given to participants to see what effect this might have on the amount of information remembered. Is this variable dependent on another variable in the study? Wan L, Zha R, Ren J, Li Y, Zhao Q, Zuo H, Zhang X. Hum Brain Mapp. The PubMed wordmark and PubMed logo are registered trademarks of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Bethesda, MD 20894, Web Policies In this study, the independent variable is meditation and the dependent variable is the amount of stress (however it is measured). You can usually identify the type of variable by asking two questions: Data is a specific measurement of a variable it is the value you record in your data sheet. The presence/absence of the chemical is the independent variable. Reviewers ensure all content reflects expert academic consensus and is backed up with reference to academic studies. To determine the effect that traffic patterns have on the air in a city, employees at the agency perform a study that assesses car usage and air quality in cities around the country. Because the researcher controls the level of the independent variable, it can be determined if the independent variable has a causal effect on the dependent variable. When you collect quantitative data, the numbers you record represent real amounts that can be added, subtracted, divided, etc. A chemicals company has developed three different versions of their concrete mix. Scribbr. Other 5th grade classrooms will not listen to any music during their lessons and exams. In this highly unrealistic study, the independent variable is vitamins, and the dependent variable is health, as measured by blood pressure and cholesterol levels. We could measure blood pressure, or the amount of the stress hormone cortisol in their blood, or by using a paper and pencil measure such as a questionnaire that asks them how much stress they feel. She has taught science courses at the high school, college, and graduate levels. It then proceeds to describe and discuss synonyms for the terms independent variable and dependent variable, including treatment, intervention, predictor, and risk The amount of salt added to each plants water. The research participants are randomly assigned to either receive the independent variable (called the treatment condition), or not receive the independent variable (called the control condition). The health of the rat (whether it lives and can reproduce) is the dependent *Note that sometimes a variable can work as more than one type! SPICE (Setting, Perspective, Intervention/phenomenon of Interest, Comparison, Evaluation) Appropriate for : evaluating the outcomes of a service, project, or intervention A lot of those studies used an experimental design that involved males of various ages randomly assigned to play a graphic or non-graphic video game. Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. One is called the dependent variable, and the other is the independent variable. The researchers then compare the scores of the exams between the two groups of classrooms. Expected to influence the dependent variable, Doesn't change as a result of the experiment, Can be manipulated by researchers in order to study the dependent variable, Expected to be affected by the independent variable, Expected to change as a result of the experiment, Not manipulated by researchers; its changes occur as a result of the independent variable. There is a standard method for graphing the independent and dependent variable. Identifying independent vs. dependent variables, Independent and dependent variables in research, Visualizing independent and dependent variables, Frequently asked questions about independent and dependent variables. Each of these types of variables can be broken down into further types. Their R&D food scientists have developed a protein supplement that is designed to help build muscle mass for people that work out regularly. Example: How long you sleep (independent variable) affects your test score (dependent variable). It's the outcome you're interested in measuring, and it 'depends' on your independent variable. The independent variable is the color of the room, and the dependent variable is the amount of time spent in the room eating. A group of health scientists decides to conduct a study to determine if taking vitamins improves health. Review of General Psychology, 14(2), 68-81. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0018941, Flannelly, L. T., Flannelly, K. J., & Jankowski, K. R. (2014). A randomized, controlled trial of meditation for work stress, anxiety and depressed mood in full-time workers. You can use the DRY MIX acronym to help remember how to graph variables: D= dependent variableR= responding variableY= graph on the vertical or y-axis, M= manipulated variableI= independent variableX= graph on the horizontal or x-axis. In an experiment on the effects of the type of diet on weight loss, for example, researchers might look at several different types of diet. By contrast, the independent variable is the potential answer as to what is causing the change in the dependent variable. The independent variable in this sleep study is lavender, and the dependent variable is the total amount of time spent in deep sleep. Do tomatoes grow fastest under fluorescent, incandescent, or natural light? (2012). When video games started to become increasingly graphic, it was a huge concern in many countries in the world. Some people take vitamins every day. Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "What Are Independent and Dependent Variables?" Independent and Dependent Variables: Differences & Examples The independent variable is the variable the experimenter manipulates or changes, and is assumed to have a direct effect on the dependent variable. In this animal study, the independent variable would be car exhaust and the dependent variable would be amount of time to run a maze. Although there are many types of bias, two common types are selection bias and information bias. Example one: How long you use your phone before bed affects your quality of sleep. Of course, you could also measure the number of unpopped kernels instead. Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. (2020, August 27). Do not confuse it with a "control variable," which is a variable that is purposely held constant so that it can't affect the outcome of the experiment. A variable is called dependent if a derivative of that variable occurs. Simply Scholar Ltd. 20-22 Wenlock Road, London N1 7GU, 2023 Simply Scholar, Ltd. All rights reserved, Variables are given a special name that only applies to. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. How someones age impacts their sleep quality, How different teaching methods impact learning outcomes. ANOVA tells you if the dependent variable changes according to the level of the independent variable. You need to know what type of variables you are working with to choose the right statistical test for your data and interpret your results. Two other kinds of variables that might influence the outcome include: Extraneous variables can also include demand characteristics (which are clues about how the participants should respond) and experimenter effects (which is when the researchers accidentally provide clues about how a participant will respond). Youll often use t tests or ANOVAs to analyze your data and answer your research questions. If you want to know whether caffeine affects your appetite, the presence/absence or amount of caffeine is the independent variable. Independent, Dependent, and Other Variables in Healthcare and In a study to determine whether how long a student sleeps affects test scores, the independent variable is the length of time spent sleeping while the dependent variable is the test score. So, they rent space in a large shopping mall and create three different simulated restaurant interiors of different colors. This includes rankings (e.g. The x-axis is the independent variable, while the y-axis is the dependent variable. February 3, 2022 So many studies have used so many different ways of measuring aggression. They randomly assign half of the participants to take the recommended dosage of their supplement every day for three months after each workout. In this experiment, we have one independent and three dependent variables. The independent variable is the supplement, and the dependent variable is muscle mass. Next, we randomly assign each person to either practice meditation every day, three days a week, or not at all. The researchers record how much time elapses from the moment they enter the room to the moment they leave. A dependent variable is the variable that changes as a result of the independent variable manipulation. Subject variables are characteristics that vary across participants, and they cant be manipulated by researchers. In this case, we must state what we mean by the terms media violence and aggression as we will study them. You want to compare brands of paper towels, to see which holds the most liquid. They hire a sleep research lab to conduct the study. Test your understanding with the scientific method quiz. https://doi.org/10.1080/08854726.2014.959374, https://doi.org/10.1080/10790195.2012.10850354. The dependent variable is the variable that is being measured or tested in an experiment. The type of visualization you use depends on the variable types in your research questions: To inspect your data, you place your independent variable of treatment level on the x-axis and the dependent variable of blood pressure on the y-axis. December 2, 2022. This can provide very valuable information when studying just about any subject. In general, experiments have these three types of variables: independent, dependent, and controlled. 2.2: Concepts, Constructs, and Variables - Social Sci LibreTexts
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