VARIABLES

• What is an independant variable (IV)?

  The aspect of the research situation that is changed.
• What is a dependant variable (DV)?


  Some aspect of the behaviour that will be measured/assessed to decide whether or not the IV caused a change in behaviour.
• What is a confounding variable?


  Are controlled variables that produce an unwanted effect on the DV, and so distort the findings (slips through the net)
• What is an extraneous variable (EV)?


  A possible variable that can be controlled or need to stay constant for all participants or from condition 1 to condition 2 to avoid affecting the DV.
• What are examples of EV's?

  • Materials
  • Understanding
  • Location
  • Time of day/to do the tasks
  • Objectivity (of the researcher) - bias
• What are participant variables?

  Individual differences between participants.