Variables in

Quantitative
Research
PRACTICAL RESEARCH 2
Variables in Research
The central purpose of the research is to solve
problems and improve the welfare of society.
Research cannot be possible without taking into
consideration measurable factors that are
subject to change due to circumstances.
Anything that can vary in research due to
circumstances is called a variable.
VARIABLE
anything that has a quantity or quality that
varies
In statistical research, it is defined as an
attribute of an object of study or anything that
has a quantity or quality that varies.
VARIABLE
A variable is something that can
change, such as gender, which can
be either male or female, the age
which can be 15 years old, 16
years old, or 30 years old and they
are typically the focus of a study.
Types of Variables
1. Dependent variables
represent the outcome of the
experiment.
the variation in the dependent
variable depends on the variation in
the independent variable.
2. Independent variables
are variables you manipulate to affect
the outcome of an experiment.
the researcher expects that the
independent variable(s) will have some
effect on (or relationship with) the
dependent variables.
2. Independent variables
are variables you manipulate to affect
the outcome of an experiment.
the researcher expects that the
independent variable(s) will have some
effect on (or relationship with) the
dependent variables.
3. Controlled variables
are held constant throughout the
experiment.
4. Intervening or meddling
variables are variables that “stand
between” the independent variable
and dependent variables, and they
show the effects of the independent
variable on the dependent variable.
5. Moderator variables
can be qualitative (non-numerical values like race,
socioeconomic class, or sex) or quantitative
(numerical values like weight, reward level, or age).
For example, According to the American
Psychological Association, stress has a bigger impact
on men than women. Sex is a qualitative variable that
moderates the strength of an effect between stress and
health status.
6. Extraneous variables
are those factors in the research environment
which may affect the dependent variables but
which are not controlled. These are dangerous.
They may damage a study’s validity, making it
impossible to know whether the effects were
caused by the independent and moderator
variables or some extraneous factors.
6. Extraneous variables
For example, if you are interested in the influence
of emotion (independent variable) on short-term
memory (dependent variable), any other variable
that you suspect influences memory, and that you
cannot control is considered an extraneous
variable. It could be personality traits,
environmental conditions, use of drugs, etc.
Identify the independent and dependent variables in
each research problem.
 TRUE OR FALSE
1. Extraneous variables are as significant as independent variables.
2. An independent variable is a variable that is changed in purpose.
3. Extraneous variables are nuisance variables.
4. All variables are prone to changes or variations.
5. All variables are controllable.
6. The effects of something on dependent variables are measurable.
7. Only words can express the effects of variables on dependent variables.
8. The effects of something can be shown through fractions and percentages.
9. The controlled variable is a variable that is not being studied but influences the
accuracy of the results of an experiment.
10. Attribute variables have the same meaning as participants’ variables.
REVIEW OF LESSON
TYPES OF VARIABLES
1. DEPENDENT VARIABLES
2. INDEPENDENT VARIABLES
3. CONTROLLED VARIABLES
4. INTERVENING VARIABLES
5. MODERATOR VARIABLES
6. EXTRANEOUS VARIABLES
GROUP ACTIVITY:
In this part, you will do the following:
A. Write down (3) topics aligned with your
strand.
B. For each topic, you will identify the variables
and their types.
C. Then, indicate the possible strengths and
weaknesses of your research topic.
Use the pattern below to present your answer to this activity.
Topic 1: _______________________________________________________
Variables and their types
1. _________________________
( )
2. _________________________
( )
3. _________________________
( )
Strengths:
a.
b.
c.
Weakness:
a.
b.
c.