In psychology, variables are conditions or characteristics that can take on different values and are studied in research to establish cause-and-effect relationships. The two main types of variables in psychology are the independent variable (IV) and the dependent variable (DV) . The independent variable is the variable that is manipulated or changed by the researcher and is assumed to directly affect the dependent variable. It is considered the cause or factor that drives change, allowing psychologists to observe how it influences behavior, emotions, or other dependent variables in an experimental setting. On the other hand, the dependent variable is the variable being tested and measured in an experiment and is "dependent" on the independent variable. It represents the outcome or results and can change based on the manipulations of the independent variable.
In addition to the independent and dependent variables, there are also extraneous variables, which are factors in the environment that could affect participants performance, and situational variables, such as the temperature of the room and the noise in the room, that could impact the research outcomes. These variables are important to consider in psychological research to ensure the validity and reliability of the findings.
Overall, variables in psychology play a crucial role in experimental scientific research, as researchers aim to establish cause-and-effect relationships and understand the relationships between different factors and outcomes.
