Independent variable -Meaning and examples of Independent variable
A variable is a character, number or amount that can take various value over time. Researchers call the property that the study “variables” and they take on different values. Variables can be classified into two. They include dependent and independent variables.
This grouping is made based on the variable’s capacity to change without depending on another variable.
Definition of Independent variable
Independent variables are variables that do not depend on another variable. Independent variables are governed inputs whose variation depend on the researchers or person working with the variable. Another name for the independent variables is the predictor variable.
Independent variables work hand in hand with dependent variables. It is the determinant of the value of the dependent variable. It is always used to test the level of change on the dependent variable as it changes in an environment that is not variable. In a study or experiment, independent variables are also referred to as treatment variables.
Advantage of Independent variables
The following are noticeable advantages of independent variables
1. Independent variables are easily obtained.
2. Independent variables do not require difficult mathematical procedures and experiment.
3. Independent variables can be easily manipulated.
4. Information in independent variables can be gotten through data collection technique.
Disadvantages of Independent variables
1. Independent variables are opened to researchers and respondent influence and bias.
2. They result of the research might be fake or affected.
Examples of Independent variables:
These examples are culled from Mary Gormandy White’s article on Dependent and Independent variables example.
1. Education and Earnings: A researcher wants to know if education level impacts how much a person earns in their job. independent variable – the highest level of educational attainment
2. National Origin and Net Worth: A social scientist wonders if there is an association between a person’s national origin and their wealth, measured as net worth.independent variable – a person’s country of origin.
3. Time Spent Studying and Academic Success: An educational researcher explores whether there is a link between the amount of time someone spends studying and the grade they get in a particular class. The independent variable is the amount of time spent studying for a particular class.
4. Airline Travel and Influenza Infection: A medical researcher wonders if the amount of airline travel a person engages in impacts how likely they are to catch influenza during flu season. The independent variable – the amount of airline travel.
Other examples are:
1. Changing the amount of fertilizer applied on a plant to enhance its growth and development is an example of independent variables. In addition, applying different types of fertilizer on different crops to see the most effective is another example of independent variables.
2. Giving medication to one group and not giving it to another is an example too.
3. Experimenting with the effect of light and darkness on the action of moths by switching off and switching on the light is an example of independent variables.
4. Business people do experiment to know what their customers want, the bonuses, discount and promo are examples of independent
5. The change of color of a particular product in the market to see the level of patronage. The product colour is the independent variables.
6. An experiment on the the high concentration of vehicle exhaust on children between 8 and 10; vehicle exhaust is the Independent variable.
7. A dietician may want to find out the effect of eating excess carbohydrates before involving in any sports activity. The quantity of carbohydrates consumed at a give timeframe is the independent variables.
8. A language researcher might want to know the rate which multilingual learn new languages faster than those who are monolinguals. The independent variable is the number of language spoken.
9. The study on the impact of drugs on a cancer patient might be carried out. The administration of drugs is the independent variable.
10. Rising sea temperature impact on algae life, the experiment measures the number of algae in sample of water from a specific ocean site under different temperature (the degree of hotness or coolness). Ocean temperature is the independent variable.
11. A researcher may decide to study the relationship between the level of anxiety and the perception of pain. The independent variable is the level of anxiety.
12. If the research is on weight as a dependent variable, scientists might take independent variables like calorie consumption, carbohydrate consumption, protein consumption, refined sugar consumption, activity level, or other factors that could reasonably impact how much a person weighs.
