Intervening Variables

Intervening variables are hypothetical internal states that are used to explain relationships between observed variables, such independent and dependent variables. Intervening variables are not real things. They are interpretations of observed facts, not facts themselves. But they create the illusion of being facts. EXAMPLE learning, memory, motivation, S: attitude, personality, traits, knowledge, understanding, thinking, expectation, intelligence, intention.

Intervening Variables Not Real?

Lets look again at the experiment by Tolman & Honzik (1930) on latent learning in rats, specifically, the group that received a reward every time they reached the goal box. One of the Independent Variables was the number of practice trials the rats received. They got 1 trial per day, so each rat got an increasing number of trials. the number of The Dependent Variable was wrong turns (errors) that rats made on a trial. The following graph shows a relationship between the independent variable and the dependent variable.

Tolman and Honzik, 1930 Practice Independent Trials

Variable

10

Learnin Intervening g

Dependent Variable

Errors

Average 0 Errors 6 2 4

Variable Theoretically, an internal state of learning intervened between the independent variable and the dependent variable. It was this state that caused errors to decrease, not the practice trials. 1 10

17

Trials (1 Trial per Day)

Operational Definitions
Intervening variables are studied by means of operational definitions, which are descriptions of procedures that are assumed to have some link to the internal state.
Operational Definition Operational Definition

Practice Independent Trials

Variable

Learnin g Intervening
Variable

Errors
Dependen t Variable

Operational Definitions
Intervening variables have no existence apart from these observed variables. They are just words, interpretations of facts, like theories.

Operational Definition

Practice Independent Trials

Variable

Learnin g Intervening
Variable

Operational Definition

Errors
Dependen t Variable

Operational Definitions

Circular Reasonin g

As explanations of behavior, intervening variables can lead to an error in logic called circular reasoning in which you explain something in terms of itself and so dont get beyond the original facts. To avoid circular reasoning, you must have two or more operational definitions of the same internal state, and they must be correlated. Heres an example of circular reasoning that results from having just one operational definition.

Operational Definitions
GOAL

Circular Reasonin g GOAL

Two rats receive a food reward when they run from the Start box to the Goal box of a straight alley runway. an equal They get number of practice trials and run equally fast. One day, the rat on the left is observed to run much faster than the rat on the right.

Operational Definitions
GOAL

Circular Reasonin g GOAL

Why the difference in running speeds? You may want to explain it in terms of motivation, defined as an internal state that causes an organism to move toward a goal. More specifically, you could say that the fast rat was hungrier than the slow rat.

Operational Definitions
GOAL

Circular Reasonin g GOAL

This is circular reasoning. It sounds like an explanation but it isnt. Running speed toward a food reward is a legitimate operational definition of hunger. Its OK to infer different levels of hunger from running speeds, but its circular to then use hunger to explain those running speeds.

Operational Definitions
Running Speed

Circular Reasonin g

defines explain s

Hunger

A second operational definition of hunger is needed to break this circle.

Operational Definitions
Running Speed

Circular Reasonin g

defines

Hunger

defines

For example, the fast rat may have been deprived of food longer than the slow rat. Hours of food deprivation could be used as an operational definition of hunger.

Hours of Food Deprivation

Operational Definitions
Running Speed

Circular Reasonin g

defines

Hunger

defines

Hours of Food Deprivation

Different levels of hunger could be inferred from the different periods of deprivation, and then these hunger levels could be used to explain the different running speeds without circularity.

Operational Definitions
Running Speed

Circular Reasonin g

defines

Hunger

The more operational definitions you have that are correlated with each other, the more useful would be the underlying intervening variable.

defines

Hours of Food Deprivation

Operational Definitions
Questionnaire Responses
define

Circular Reasonin g

Correlate d?

Attitude

defines

By this standard, how useful would you say are the concepts of attitude, intelligence and personality trait?

Everyday Behavior

Observing Internal Events

Intervening variables differ from other kinds of internal events that are real and can be directly observed. Conscious experiences are private events that are directly sensed by the individual and not open to observation by others, like self-talk, feelings, and sensations. Biological processes are open to observation by others using appropriate devices, like an EEG machine to measure electrical activity of the brain.