examples of independent and dependent variables in healthcare examples of independent and dependent variables in healthcare

Their R&D food scientists have developed a protein supplement that is designed to help build muscle mass for people that work out regularly. Applying causal mediation analysis to personality disorder research. If, say, y = x+3, then the value y can have depends on what the value of x is. To keep track of your salt-tolerance experiment, you make a data sheet where you record information about the variables in the experiment, like salt addition and plant health. After a certain period of time, perhaps several months, the effects on cognitive performance could be measured. Click to reveal Many companies, large and small, will keep their recipe a top secret. In other cases, multiple levels of the IV may be used to look at the range of effects that the variable may have. Whats the definition of an independent variable? A dependent variable is what changes as a result of the independent variable manipulation in experiments. If you write out the variables in a sentence that shows cause and effect, the independent variable causes the effect on the dependent variable. 3. Here, the amount of chemical would be the independent variable and the rat health would be the dependent variable. It would also be possible to examine the physical effects of car exhaust on the brain by conducting an autopsy. SPICE (Setting, Perspective, Intervention/phenomenon of Interest, Comparison, Evaluation) Appropriate for : evaluating the outcomes of a service, project, or intervention So, first, they go to a nearby school in a middle-class neighborhood. In an experiment to determine how far people can see into the infrared part of the spectrum, the wavelength of light is the independent variable and whether the light is observed is the dependent variable. It can be difficult to separate the true effect of the independent variable from the effect of the confounding variable. You have three groups: men, women and other. Here are several examples of independent and dependent variables in experiments: In a study to determine whether how long a student sleeps affects test scores, the independent variable is the length of time spent sleeping while the dependent variable is the test score. A confounding variable in the example of car exhaust and asthma would be differential exposure to other factors that increase respiratory issues, like cigarette smoke or particulates from factories. A randomized, controlled trial of meditation for work stress, anxiety and depressed mood in full-time workers. Can graphic video games be a force for good? It then proceeds to describe and discuss synonyms for the terms independent variable and dependent variable, including treatment, intervention, predictor, and risk Brain morphology, harm avoidance, and the severity of excessive internet use. Does this variable get measured only after other variables are altered? The amount of input the workers have over their work is the independent variable in this example. The independent variables in a particular experiment all depend on the hypothesis and what the experimenters are investigating. Researchers are trying to determine if changes to the independent variable (studying) result in significant changes to the dependent variable (the test results). But before we begin, we need to briefly review the difference between independent and dependent variables. This enables another psychologist to replicate your research and is essential in establishing reliability (achieving consistency in the results). Dr. Drew has published over 20 academic articles in scholarly journals. For example, we might change the type of information (e.g., organized or random) given to participants to see what effect this might have on the amount of information remembered. In an experiment, you manipulate the independent variable and measure the outcome in the dependent variable. The different levels of the independent variable are called conditions. Yes, but including more than one of either type requires multiple research questions. After three months, we measure the stress levels of each person and compare the groups. Next, we randomly assign each person to either practice meditation every day, three days a week, or not at all. To gather information about plant responses over time, you can fill out the same data sheet every few days until the end of the experiment. The independent variable is hair color, and the dependent variable is pupil dilation. Because it would be unethical to expose a randomized group of people to high levels of vehicle exhaust,[1] a study comparing two populations with differential exposure to vehicle exhaust would rely on a natural experiment, or a situation in which this already occurs due to factors unrelated to the researchers. In addition, the scientists randomly assign half of the participants to take a set of vitamins, supplied by the researchers every day for 1 year. from https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/independent-and-dependent-variables/, Independent vs. For example, star ratings on product reviews are ordinal (1 to 5 stars), but the average star rating is quantitative. Here the independent variable is the dose and the dependent variable is the frequency/intensity of symptoms . In this study, the independent variable is the concrete mixture, and the dependent variable is the amount of weight at collapse. An ordinal variable can also be used as a quantitative variable if the scale is numeric and doesnt need to be kept as discrete integers. You want to determine whether a chemical is essential for rat nutrition, so you design an experiment. In other words, whether changes in an independent variable cause a change in a dependent variable. All we have to do is find 90 people that are similar in age, stress levels, diet and exercise, and as many other factors as we can think of. Look at other experiments for examples and identify different types of independent variables. You can think of independent and dependent variables in terms of cause and effect: an independent variable is the variable you think is the cause, while a dependent variable is the effect. These terms are especially used in statistics, where you estimate the extent to which an independent variable change can explain or predict changes in the dependent variable. (2012). from https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/types-of-variables/, Types of Variables in Research & Statistics | Examples, , the terms dependent and independent dont apply, because you are not trying to establish a cause and effect relationship (. How to identify independent variables vs. dependent variables. An example of a dependent variable is depression symptoms, which depends on the independent variable (type of therapy). The dependent variable is the outcome (or response) variable. The presence/absence of the chemical is the independent variable. Information biasrefers to a systematic error due to inaccurate measurement or classification of disease, exposure, or other variables.[3] Recall bias, a type of information bias, occurs when study participants do not remember the information they report accurately or completely. You think rising sea temperatures might affect the amount of algae in the water. Your email address will not be published. MeSH Each of these types of variables can be broken down into further types. Its called independent because its not influenced by any other variables in the study. Each type of diet that the experimenters look at would be a different level of the independent variable while weight loss would always be the dependent variable. In analytical health research there are generally two types of variables. Independent variables also have different levels. Age is the independent variable. 3. Other research methodologies can reveal factors that are related to the dependent variable or associated with the dependent variable, but only when the independent variable is controlled by the researcher can causality be determined. Although there are many variations of the experiment, generally speaking, it involves either the presence or absence of the independent variable and the observation of what happens to the dependent variable. Your independent variable is the treatment that you directly vary between groups. Data is generally divided into two categories: A variable that contains quantitative data is a quantitative variable; a variable that contains categorical data is a categorical variable. In this example, the independent variable is Gatorade, and the dependent variable is heart rate. In machine learning, independent variables are known as features. Quantitative variables are any variables where the data represent amounts (e.g. The company wants to know which version is the strongest. Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. Another way to put it is the dependent variable is the output value and the independent variable is the input value. September 19, 2022 Unable to load your collection due to an error, Unable to load your delegates due to an error. An independent variable is the variable you manipulate, control, or vary in an experimental study to explore its effects. We rely on the most current and reputable sources, which are cited in the text and listed at the bottom of each article. In research, variables are any characteristics that can take on different values, such as height, age, temperature, or test scores. Published on The researchers identified 120 patients with relatively similar types of cancerous tumors in both size and stage of progression. They are sometimes recorded as numbers, but the numbers represent categories rather than actual amounts of things. The PubMed wordmark and PubMed logo are registered trademarks of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). One room is painted mostly white with red trim and seats; one room is painted mostly white with blue trim and seats; and one room is painted mostly white with off-white trim and seats. Whats the definition of a dependent variable? Revised on clearly understand what a pharmacy technician can do under their own authority as a regulated health care professional, a properly designed customer satisfaction or customer The relationship makes sense and identifies the independent variable as phone use and the dependent variable as sleep quality. Time of day has a significant effect on alertness. For the following hypotheses, name the IV and the DV and operationalize both variables. Based on your findings, you can estimate the degree to which your independent variable variation drives changes in your dependent variable. When running a study or analyzing statistics, researchers try to remove or account for as many of the confounding variables as possible in their study design or analysis. Dependent and independent variables. One way to determine whether a relationship between variables is causal is based on three criteria for research design:temporal precedence meaning that the hypothesized cause happens before the measured effect;covariation of the cause and effect meaning that there is an established relationship between the two variables regardless of causation; and a lack of plausible alternative explanations. Independent and Dependent Variables: Differences & Examples The independent variable is the variable the experimenter manipulates or changes, and is assumed to have a direct effect on the dependent variable. In this study, despite the ethical issues (remember this is just a hypothetical example), the independent variable is chemotherapy, and the dependent variable is tumor size. A Dependent variable is what happens as a result of the independent variable. Your email address will not be published. In these experimental studies, the independent variable was graphic video games, and the dependent variable was observed level of aggression. For example, in a plant growth study, the independent variables might be soil moisture (continuous) and type of fertilizer (categorical). The determination of causality is the key benefit of manipulating the independent variable and them observing changes in the dependent variable. Its essential to know which is the cause the independent variable and which is the effect the dependent variable. Do tomatoes grow fastest under fluorescent, incandescent, or natural light? The dependent variable will always be the variable that is held constant. You want to compare brands of paper towels, to see which holds the most liquid. If you want to know whether caffeine affects your appetite, the presence/absence of a given amount of caffeine would be the independent variable. Is the variable something that cannot be changed but that is not dependent on other variables in the experiment? The temperature and light in the room the plants are kept in, and the volume of water given to each plant. Sometimes varying the independent variables will result in changes in the dependent variables. You measure the math skills of all participants using a standardized test and check whether they differ based on room temperature. Here are the definitions for independent and dependent variables, examples of each variable, and the explanation for how to graph them. 2015;21(1):39-49. doi: 10.1080/08854726.2014.989799. Experiments have two fundamental features. The independent variable is the supplement, and the dependent variable is muscle mass. Definition and examples of dependent variable Independent variables are the ones we can freely manipulate, by plugging in any input value. December 2, 2022. Some useful types of variables are listed below. You can usually identify the type of variable by asking two questions: Data is a specific measurement of a variable it is the value you record in your data sheet. Here are some tips for identifying each variable type. In this highly unrealistic study, the independent variable is vitamins, and the dependent variable is health, as measured by blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Fortunately, there was a way to test this theory objectively. If you determine the substance is necessary for proper nutrition, a follow-up experiment might determine how much of the chemical is needed. Dependent & independent variables. J Health Care Chaplain. Sometimes the dependent variable is called the "responding variable.". Experiments are usually designed to find out what effect one variable has on another in our example, the effect of salt addition on plant growth. At the outset of an experiment, it is important for researchers to operationally define the independent variable. One way to examine this possibility would be to conduct an animal study. 2023 Dotdash Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Dr. Helmenstine holds a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences and is a science writer, educator, and consultant. You have three independent variable levels, and each group gets a different level of treatment. So, they create three bridge molds that are identical in every way. Dependent Variables | Definition & Examples. By varying the level of the independent variable and observing associated changes in the dependent variable, a researcher can conclude whether the independent variable affects the dependent variable or not. In this animal study, the independent variable would be car exhaust and the dependent variable would be amount of time to run a maze. In an experiment, one group of workers performs a task in a yellow room while another performs the same task in a blue room. What is the difference between quantitative and categorical variables? The independent variable is Mozart, and the dependent variable is exam scores. Here are the definitions for independent and dependent variables, examples of each variable, and the explanation for how to graph them. Amanda Tust is a fact-checker, researcher, and writer with a Master of Science in Journalism from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism. If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the Cite this Scribbr article button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator. Tutors' Association ID: 55870609, Join Grad Coach On: Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | LinkedIn, Qualitative Data Analysis Methods 101: The Big 6 Methods (Including Examples), How To Write A Dissertation Or Thesis 101: Big Picture Guide (With Examples). Each participant sits in front of a computer screen and responds to questions on a survey. They enlist the cooperation of over 120 gym rats that work out 5 days a week. 1. The independent variable is the brand of paper towel. When you do correlational research, the terms dependent and independent dont apply, because you are not trying to establish a cause and effect relationship (causation). Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "What Are Independent and Dependent Variables?" The independent variable (IV) in psychology is the characteristic of an experiment that is manipulated or changed by researchers, not by other variables in the experiment.