Variables and its Types

Variable and it types of Variable by Muhammad Yousuf Ali

Variable

A variable represents a measurable attribute that changes or varies across the experiment whether comparing results between multiple groups, multiple people or even when using a single person in an experiment conducted over time.

What are the Types of Variable?

There are six common variable types.

1. Independent Variable

2. Dependent Variable

3. Control Variable

4. Moderating Variable

5. Intervening variable

6. Extraneous Variables

1. Independent Variable

The independent variable is the antecedent while the dependent variable is the consequent. If the independent variable is an active variable then we manipulate the values of the variable to study its affect on another variable. The independent variable might have a positive or negative effect on the dependent variable

Example :-

Example 1: “Organizational structure has an effect on customers’ satisfaction”. In this example, the organizational structure and customers’ satisfaction are the independent and dependent variables, respectively.

Example 1

“Social classes have an effect on knowledge improvement”. In this example, the social classes is an independent variable and knowledge improvement is considered as dependent variables, respectively.

2. Dependent variable

Dependent variable is a variable in which the researcher is interested and in contrary to the independent variable. The dependent variable is not in the control of the researcher, and he/she is not able to manipulate it. In its definition, it could be stated that it is a variable which is affected by the independent variable, it is changed based on the independent variable’s changes and the researcher’s goal is predicting and describing its changeability.

Example 1: Investigating the effect of women’s employment on family life satisfaction__ Women’s employment is an independent and family life satisfaction is a dependent variable.

3. Control Variables

Control variables are the variables factors and elements that researchers seek to keep constant when conducting research. In a typical research design, a researcher measures the effect an independent variable has on a dependent variable.

Example

Controlled variables example an amount of light, using the same type of glassware, constant humidity, or duration of an experiment.

4. Moderator Variable

A moderator variable changes the strength of an effect or relationship between two variables. Moderators indicate when or under what conditions a particular effect can be expected.

Example

In an investigation of the effect of students’ IQ on their average, in case of significant difference among the male and female students’ IQ and average, gender can be accounted as the moderator variable.

5. Intervening variable

An intervening variable is a variable that affects the relationship between an independent variable and a dependent variable.

Example

The relationship between education (the independent variable X) and yearly spending (the dependent variable Y). Income is an intervening variable “I” which create effects the relationship between education and income.

6. Extraneous variable

An extraneous variable is any variable that you’re not investigating that can potentially affect the outcomes of your research study.

Example

A participant is taking a test in a chilly room, the temperature would be considered an extraneous variable. Some participants may not be affected by the cold, but others might be distracted or annoyed by the temperature of the room.

Cite this article

M.Y. Ali (28 May 2021).  Variable and it types of Variables. https://profileusuf.wordpress.com/variables-and-its-types/

References

Kaur, S. P. (2013). Variables in research. Indian Journal of Research and Reports in Medical Sciences, 3(4), 36-38.

Butler, A. This page contains a definition of moderator variables and mediator variables, links to more information, and a few exercises to test your understanding of the concepts. Moderator Defined.

McKinney, M. S., & Spialek, M. L. (2017). The SAGE Encyclopedia of Communication Research Methods.