examples of independent and dependent variables in healthcare

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. In general, experiments have these three types of variables: independent, dependent, and controlled. Brain morphology, harm avoidance, and the severity of excessive internet use. This example sheet is color-coded according to the type of variable: nominal, continuous, ordinal, and binary. At the end of three months, the muscle mass of all participants is measured. , Independent and Dependent Variables Examples, Free Printable Periodic Tables (PDF and PNG), Periodic Table with Charges - 118 Elements, Periodic Table For Kids With 118 Elements. People who exercise regularly sleep better at night. 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. For example, if we are concerned with the effect of media violence on aggression, then we need to be very clear about what we mean by the different terms. At the outset of an experiment, it is important for researchers to operationally define the independent variable. The dependent variable is the variable that is being measured or tested in an experiment. Blazing Angels or Resident Evil? Educators, social scientists, and parents were shocked at how graphic games were becoming. 8600 Rockville Pike Independent and Dependent Variable Examples The presence/absence of the chemical is the independent variable. The other half takes the same amount of something that looks the same but actually does nothing to the body. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. The determination of causality is the key benefit of manipulating the independent variable and them observing changes in the dependent variable. At the end of two months, the doctors measure the size of each patients tumor. 2011, Article ID 960583. https://doi.org/10.1155/2011/960583. Sometimes the dependent variable is called the "responding variable.". You can also apply multiple levels to find out how the independent variable affects the dependent variable. In an experiment, one group of workers performs a task in a yellow room while another performs the same task in a blue room. Sensors on the crash dummy skulls allowed for a scientific analysis of how much damage a human skull would incur. Distinguishing between independent and dependent variables can be tricky when designing a complex study or reading an academic research paper. Some useful types of variables are listed below. 1. This article begins by defining the term variable and the terms independent variable and dependent variable, providing examples of each. Independent, dependent, and other variables in healthcare and chaplaincy research. Example one: How long you use your phone before bed affects your quality of sleep. Educators are interested in whether participating in after-school math tutoring can increase scores on standardized math exams. Read our, Introduction to Psychology Research Methods, Internal Validity vs. In other cases, researchers might find that changes in the independent variables have no effect on the variables that are being measured. What type of data does the variable contain? This can provide very valuable information when studying just about any subject. If you determine the substance is necessary for proper nutrition, a follow-up experiment might determine how much of the chemical is needed. It is sometimes called the 'predictor' or 'treatment' variable. The dependent variable is the biomass of the crops at harvest time. An example of a dependent variable is depression symptoms, which depends on the independent variable (type of therapy). Its called independent because its not influenced by any other variables in the study. Careers. The Mozart Effect and the mathematical connection, Journal of College Reading and Learning, 42(2), 51-66. https://doi.org/10.1080/10790195.2012.10850354. The site is secure. The dependent variable (height) depends on the independent variable (age). Its essential to know which is the cause the independent variable and which is the effect the dependent variable. The amount of skull damage of dummies in cars with airbags was then compared with those without airbags. Next, they randomly select shoppers on Saturdays and Sundays to eat for free in one of the three rooms. A randomized, controlled trial of meditation for work stress, anxiety and depressed mood in full-time workers. How should we measure stress? This can happen when another variable is closely related to a variable you are interested in, but you havent controlled it in your experiment. At the same time, software on the computer that utilizes the computers camera is measuring each males pupil dilation. In most math . You want to compare brands of paper towels, to see which holds the most liquid. The independent variable is the color of the room, and the dependent variable is the amount of time spent in the room eating. In research, variables are any characteristics that can take on different values, such as height, age, temperature, or test scores. The number of popped kernels is the dependent variable. They randomly assign half of the participants to take the recommended dosage of their supplement every day for three months after each workout. Many companies, large and small, will keep their recipe a top secret. The independent variable is one that the researchers either manipulate (such as the amount of something) or that already exists but is not dependent upon other variables (such as the age of the participants). Does this variable come before the other variable in time? Nominal, Categorical, Dichotomous, Binary. The researchers believe that larger dilation indicates greater perceived attractiveness. Independent variables are defined as those the values of which influence other variables. You can apply just two levels in order to find out if an independent variable has an effect at all. These variables are created when you analyze data, not when you measure it. https://helpfulprofessor.com/independent-and-dependent-variable-examples/. For experimental data, you analyze your results by generating descriptive statistics and visualizing your findings. You can also predict how much your dependent variable will change as a result of variation in the independent variable. ANOVA tells you if the dependent variable changes according to the level of the independent variable. Does practicing meditation reduce stress? Other research methodologies can reveal factors that are related to the dependent variable or associated with the dependent variable, but only when the independent variable is controlled by the researcher can causality be determined. The direction of a correlation can be either positive or negative. The independent variable is Mozart, and the dependent variable is exam scores. For example: Your independent variable is social media use, and you assign groups to low, medium, and high levels of social media use to find out if there is a difference in hours of sleep per night. Gatorade and Improved Athletic Performance, 15. At the end of three months, all the students take the same test that assesses critical thinking skills. The health of the rat (whether it lives and can reproduce) is the dependent Measurements of continuous or non-finite values. To keep track of your salt-tolerance experiment, you make a data sheet where you record information about the variables in the experiment, like salt addition and plant health. Scribbr. Review of General Psychology, 14(2), 68-81. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0018941, Flannelly, L. T., Flannelly, K. J., & Jankowski, K. R. (2014). Age is the independent variable. 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. Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "What Are Independent and Dependent Variables?" These terms are especially used in statistics, where you estimate the extent to which an independent variable change can explain or predict changes in the dependent variable. Seekprofessional input on your specific circumstances. For the following hypotheses, name the IV and the DV. It also makes it easier for other researchers to replicate a study and check for reliability. Each participant sits in a booth and takes a bite of one version of the crust. 3. Why are independent and dependent variables important? It is called independent because its value does not depend on and is not affected by the state of any other variable in the experiment. (2022, December 02). So, the researcher goes to a nearby university and randomly selects both male and female athletes from several sports: track and field, volleyball, basketball, and football. Each type of diet that the experimenters look at would be a different level of the independent variable while weight loss would always be the dependent variable. Design approaches to experimental mediation. Instead, you can create a research design where you compare the outcomes of groups of participants with characteristics. People in the pizza business know that the crust is key. Learn more about our academic and editorial standards. Required fields are marked *, This Article was Last Expert Reviewed on October 23, 2022 by Chris Drew, PhD. A variable that hides the true effect of another variable in your experiment. His work has involved designing teacher certification for Trinity College in London and in-service training for state governments in the United States. Journal of Health Care Chaplaincy, 20(4), 161170. (2010). The company wants to know which version is the strongest. 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. February 3, 2022 In addition, the scientists randomly assign half of the participants to take a set of vitamins, supplied by the researchers every day for 1 year. Some people take vitamins every day. Each of these is its own dependent variable with its own research question. Of course, there are a lot of issues to consider when conducting an experiment, but these are the basic principles. Here are some tips for identifying each variable type. Example: How long you sleep (independent variable) affects your test score (dependent variable). For example, if we want to explore whether high concentrations of vehicle exhaust impact incidence of asthma in children, vehicle exhaust is the independent variable while asthma is the dependent variable. Cite this Article in your Essay (APA Style), Privacy PolicyTerms and ConditionsDisclaimerAccessibility StatementVideo Transcripts. To understand this concept, it's helpful to take a look at the independent variable in research examples. Since then, there have been hundreds of studies conducted by psychologists and other researchers. The review process on Helpful Professor involves having a PhD level expert fact check, edit, and contribute to articles. Revised on BSc (Hons), Psychology, MSc, Psychology of Education. Before Car pollution is a concern for a lot of reasons. The independent variable is the variable the experimenter manipulates or changes and is assumed to directly affect the dependent variable. The dependent variable would be the amount of liquid absorbed by the paper towel. Participants aged between 16 30 will recall significantly more nouns from a list of twenty than participants aged between 55 70 is operationalized. Salt tolerance in plants cannot be measured directly, but can be inferred from measurements of plant health in our salt-addition experiment. Data is generally divided into two categories: A variable that contains quantitative data is a quantitative variable; a variable that contains categorical data is a categorical variable. Taylor, J. M., & Rowe, B. J. With SPICE (Setting, Perspective, Intervention/phenomenon of Interest, Comparison, Evaluation) Appropriate for : evaluating the outcomes of a service, project, or intervention Nominal and categorical variables describe samples in groups based on counts that fall within each category, have no quantitative relationships, and cannot be ranked. Independent variable causes an effect on the dependent variable. Unauthorized use of these marks is strictly prohibited. Other types of variables have interchangeable terms. (2022, December 02). In this issue of Anesthesia & Analgesia, Mller-Wirtz et al 1 report results of a study in which they used linear regression to assess the relationship in a rat model between tissue propofol . The researchers at the lab have their usual test volunteers sleep in individual rooms every night for one week. Can I include more than one independent or dependent variable in a study? In this particular example, the type of information is the independent variable (because it changes), and the amount of information remembered is the dependent variable (because this is being measured). finishing places in a race), classifications (e.g. If, say, y = x+3, then the value y can have depends on what the value of x is. 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, Outcome variables (they represent the outcome you want to measure), Left-hand-side variables (they appear on the left-hand side of a regression equation). Bevans, R. Although there are a lot of obvious limitations to this hypothetical, it is the first step. 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. The key point here is that we have made it absolutely clear what we mean by the terms as they were studied and measured in our experiment. 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. Here the independent variable is the dose and the dependent variable is the frequency/intensity of symptoms . Whats the definition of an independent variable? Dependent variable Definition and Examples. 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). In machine learning, independent variables are known as features. Non-manipulation quantitative designs. Amanda Tust is a fact-checker, researcher, and writer with a Master of Science in Journalism from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism. Then the crash experts rammed each car into a crash wall at the same speed. Next, they test the strength of each bridge by placing progressively more weight on its center until the bridge collapses. A chemicals company has developed three different versions of their concrete mix. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. You want to know which brand of fertilizer is best for your plants. Do tomatoes grow fastest under fluorescent, incandescent, or natural light? Example: Independent variable levels You are studying the impact of a new medication on the blood pressure of patients with hypertension. A confounding variable is related to both the supposed cause and the supposed effect of the study. The company wants to claim that when an athlete drinks Gatorade, their performance will improve. 4. Are researchers trying to identify how the variable influences another variable? clearly understand what a pharmacy technician can do under their own authority as a regulated health care professional, a properly designed customer satisfaction or customer At the end of one year, the health of all participants is assessed, using blood pressure and cholesterol level as the key measurements. Epub 2021 Oct 25. The independent variable is the teaching method, and the dependent variable is performance on the critical thinking test. J Exp Soc Psychol. Look at other experiments for examples and identify different types of independent variables. If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the Cite this Scribbr article button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator. In addition, the article links terminology about variables with the concept of levels of measurement in research. A sports medicine researcher has been hired by Gatorade to test the effects of its sports drink on athletic performance. 2023 Simply Psychology - Study Guides for Psychology Students. Select independent variables that you think will cause changes in another variable. A dependent variable from one study can be the independent variable in another study, so its important to pay attention to research design. In statistical research, a variable is defined as an attribute of an object of study. Each version contains a different blend of specially developed chemicals. It must be either the cause or the effect, not both! Experiments have two fundamental features. In these experimental studies, the independent variable was graphic video games, and the dependent variable was observed level of aggression. An independent variable (IV) is what is manipulated in a scientific experiment to determine its effect on the dependent variable (DV). Test your understanding with the scientific method quiz. The dependent variable (sometimes known as the responding variable) is what is being studied and measured in the experiment. September 19, 2022 The researchers then compare the scores of the exams between the two groups of classrooms. You want to determine whether a chemical is essential for rat nutrition, so you design an experiment. Come up with a. The independent variable is hair color, and the dependent variable is pupil dilation. and transmitted securely. The researchers record how much time elapses from the moment they enter the room to the moment they leave. You will probably also have variables that you hold constant (control variables) in order to focus on your experimental treatment. Identifying independent vs. dependent variables, Independent and dependent variables in research, Visualizing independent and dependent variables, Frequently asked questions about independent and dependent variables. We cite peer reviewed academic articles wherever possible and reference our sources at the end of our articles. There are two main types of independent variables. Dependent and independent variables. Some examples of variables that you may need to control include: Temperature Time of day Lighting Stress Noise or distractions Which specific variables need to be controlled for will vary tremendously depending on the research project at hand, so there's no generic list of control variables to consult. The brand of popcorn is the independent variable. J Res Nurs. For example, star ratings on product reviews are ordinal (1 to 5 stars), but the average star rating is quantitative. The value of a dependent variable depends on an independent variable, so a variable cannot be both independent and dependent at the same time. brands of cereal), and binary outcomes (e.g. The only way to do that is to manipulate the independent variable and observe any changes in the dependent variable. Ferguson, C. J. Your independent variable is a subject variable, namely the gender identity of the participants. An operational definition describes exactly what the independent variable is and how it is measured. FOIA 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.

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