Name ________________________ Section _________ Date________________ Variable Practice A VARIABLE is something that changes in an experiment. Independent Input “I cause” Manipulated/Changed Dependent Output Effect Results/Response The experimenter wants to learn the effect of the INDEPENDENT variable on the DEPENDENT variable. Independent and Dependent Variables Part 1 Directions: Identify the independent and dependent variables in the following statements. 1) If students spend more time using TikTok, then they will read fewer books. Independent Variable: Dependent Variable: 2) A study claims that drinking energy drinks makes people more aggressive. Independent Variable: Dependent Variable: 3) Taking a nap in the afternoon makes people more focused for the rest of the day. Independent Variable: Dependent Variable: 4) Spending time with a family dog decreases the amount of stress someone is feeling. Independent Variable: Dependent Variable: ãScienceExpress 5) Eating breakfast in the morning increases the ability to learn in school. Independent Variable: Dependent Variable: Part 2 Directions: Identify the independent and dependent variables in the following descriptions of experiments: 1) Students watched a cartoon either alone or with others, then rated how funny they found the cartoon to be. Independent Variable: Dependent Variable: 2) One group of students read a reading passage in silence and one group read the passage with the TV on in the background. They both took a comprehension test to see what they understood from the passage. Independent Variable: Dependent Variable: 3) Workers at a company were assigned to one of two conditions: One group completed a stress management training program; another group of workers did not participate in the training. The number of sick days taken by these workers was counted and studied for the next 2 months. Independent Variable: Dependent Variable: 4) Students at a University were split into two groups and each received a different textbook for a course. Once group received a traditional (normal) textbook, while the other received an interactive textbook on a tablet computer. After the course, the final exam grades between the two groups of students were compared. Independent Variable: Dependent Variable: ãScienceExpress Name ____KEY____________________ Section _________ Date________________ Variable Practice A variable is something that changes in an experiment. Independent Input “I cause” Manipulated/Changed Dependent Output Effect Results/Response The experimenter wants to learn the effect of the INDEPENDENT variable on the DEPENDENT variable. Independent and Dependent Variables Part 1 Directions: Identify the independent and dependent variables in the following statements. 1) If students spend more time using TikTok, then they will read fewer books. Independent Variable: amount of time on social media Dependent Variable: number of books read/read fewer books 2) A study claims that drinking energy drinks makes people more aggressive. Independent Variable: drinking energy drinks (or not) Dependent Variable: being aggressive/level of aggression 3) Taking a nap in the afternoon makes people more focused for the rest of the day. Independent Variable: taking a nap (or not) Dependent Variable: being more or less focused 4) Spending time with a family dog decreases the amount of stress someone is feeling. Independent Variable: time with a family dog Dependent Variable: stress level/amount of stress ãScienceExpress 5) Eating breakfast in the morning increases the ability to learn in school. Independent Variable: eating breakfast (or not) Dependent Variable: ability to learn in school Part 2 Directions: Identify the independent and dependent variables in the following descriptions of experiments: 1) Students watched a cartoon either alone or with others, then rated how funny they found the cartoon to be. Independent Variable: watching a cartoon along or with others Dependent Variable: rating of how funny they thought cartoon was 2) One group of students read a reading passage in silence and one group read the passage with the TV on in the background. They both took a comprehension test to see what they understood from the passage and the results were compared. Independent Variable: reading in silence or with TV on/noise or no noise Dependent Variable: results of reading comprehension test 3) Workers at a company were assigned to one of two conditions: One group completed a stress management training program; another group of workers did not participate in the training. The number of sick days taken by these workers was counted and studied for the next 2 months. Independent Variable: stress management training or not Dependent Variable: number of sick days 4) Students at a local college were split into two groups and each received a different textbook for a course. Once group received a traditional (normal) textbook, while the other received an interactive textbook on a tablet computer. After the course, the final exam grades between the two groups of students were compared. Independent Variable: normal or interactive textbook Dependent Variable: final exam grades ãScienceExpress
