LESSON 4

VARIABLES IN RESEARCH
Variables
■ A variable is any factor or property that a researcher measures, controls, and/or manipulates.

■ A changing quantity or measure of any factor, trait, or condition that can exist in differing amounts or types.

■ A logical set of attributes, characteristics, numbers, or quantities that can be measured or counted.

Types of Variables
1. Independent variables

■ Are those that cause changes in the subject.

■ Independent variable should not be used when writing about non-experimental designs.

2. Dependent variables

■ Are those that bear or manifest the effects caused by the independent variables.

Examples:

a. The effects of classroom temperature in the academic performance of the students.

Independent: classroom temperature

Dependent: academic performance of the students

b. Does behavior modification reduce aggression in autistic children?

Independent: behavior modification

Dependent: level of aggression in autistic children

3. Control variables

■ The factors or conditions that are kept the same (unchanged) in an experiment.

■ Do not undergo any changes during an experiment.

Examples:

a. Does changing the temperature of a ball affect the height the ball will bounce?

Control variables:
Use of the same ball
The ball should be dropped from the same height
The ball should be dropped onto the same surface.

b. Does the amount of light affect the retention of information?

Control variables:
type of information
age
environment

4. Predictor Variable
■ These variables changes the other variable/s in a non-experimental study.
5. Criterion variables
■ These variables are usually influenced by the predictor variables.

Example:

a. Competencies of teachers and students’ behavior in selected private schools.

 Predictor: competencies of teachers

Criterion: students’ behavior

6. Extraneous variables

■ Extraneous variable are any variables that you are not intentionally studying in your experiment or test.

■ These are undesirable variables that might influence the outcome of an experiment.

■ These variables are to be controlled by the experimenter. But if they do not give in to your control, they
can strongly influence your study.

■ The extraneous variables exist as “nuisance variables,” whose potency need to go down to prevent it
from affecting the results negatively.

Examples:

a. You want to know if online learning increases student understanding of statistics. One group uses an
online knowledge base to study, the other group uses a traditional text.

Extraneous variable: Prior knowledge of statistics.

b. Does high school achievement influence the academic achievement of university students?

Extraneous variable: orientation of the students, interests/course

c. The effects of classroom temperature in the academic performance of the students.

Extraneous variable: gender, clothing, adaptation

d. The statistical association between income and longevity.

Extraneous variable: Access to healthcare.

■ How to control extraneous variables?

– Random sampling

– Pre-test