Operational Definition For Independent Variable

For example in an experiment on the impact of sleep deprivation on test performance sleep deprivation would be the independent variable.

Operational definition for independent variable. An operational definition is the statement of procedures the researcher is going to use in order to measure a specific variable. Sometimes in studies we want to introduce a variable or manipulate whether or not some variable is present to see if it has effects on the participants in our research. The variable that responds to the change in the independent variable is called the dependent variable. It is the variable you control.

The operational definition of a variable is the specific way in which it is measured in that study. Variables operational definitions and values. Another study might measure the same conceptual measure differently. It depends on the independent variable.

The independent variable is graphed on the x axis. Independent variable the independent variable is the condition that you change in an experiment. Researchers in sports medicine and exercise physiology study the effects of various variables on a person s endurance. The last definition is indeed an operational definition if it implies a set of meas urement operations look at left thumb count.

The dependent variable is the variable that is measured by the experimenter. We need operational definitions in psychology so that we know exactly what researchers are talking about when they refer to something. Experimental operational definitions manipulated independent variables. The independent variable is the factor that you purposely change or control in order to see what effect it has.

The last definition in the table number of hairs on the left thumb reminds us of the point made above. The independent variable is the variable the experimenter changes or controls and is assumed to have a direct effect on the dependent variable. They are simply descriptions of measurement actions. Two examples of common independent variables are gender and educational level.

It is called independent because its value does not depend on and is not affected by the state of any other variable in the experiment. Each researcher might decide on a different way of measuring this variable. Operational definitions are not always good or valid. To gain a better understanding of what an operational definition is consider the following example.