35. A group of researchers conducts a study on aggression. They randomly assign a sample of ten-year-olds to view either an aggressive video or a nonaggressive video, and then they measure the amount of aggressive behavior the children exhibit. The researchers are using the type of video watched (aggressive or nonaggressive) as which of the following types of variables?
Answer: E
The researchers are using the type of video watched as an independent variable.
In this study, the type of video watched by the children is classified as an independent variable because it is the factor that the researchers manipulate to observe its effect on aggressive behavior. The independent variable is the one that is changed or controlled to test its effects on the dependent variable.
A) Confounding
Confounding variables are those that might affect both the independent and dependent variables, leading to inaccurate conclusions. In this case, the type of video is not a confounding variable since it is intentionally manipulated by the researchers, rather than being an uncontrolled influence.
B) Control
Control variables are those that are kept constant to ensure that any observed effect on the dependent variable is due solely to the independent variable. While the researchers may have control variables in their study to isolate the effects of the video type, the video itself is not a control variable; it is the independent variable being tested.
C) Intervening
Intervening variables are those that mediate the relationship between the independent and dependent variables. In this study, there is no indication that any variables are mediating the effects of the video type on aggression. Thus, the video type does not serve as an intervening variable.
D) Dependent
The dependent variable is the outcome that is measured in an experiment, which, in this case, is the amount of aggressive behavior exhibited by the children. The type of video watched is not the dependent variable; rather, it is what influences the behavior being measured.
E) Independent
The type of video watched is the independent variable because it is the factor that the researchers manipulate to examine its impact on the children's aggressive behavior. This classification is essential in understanding how the study is designed and what the researchers aim to investigate.
Conclusion
The independent variable is crucial in experimental research as it provides insight into causal relationships. In this case, the video type directly influences the measurement of aggressive behavior, making it the independent variable. All other options fail to accurately describe the role of the video type in the study, reinforcing the correctness of identifying it as the independent variable.