Question

In a study where the researchers told some subjects they were receiving alcohol and other subjects they were not receiving alcohol and then either gave them alcohol or alcohol flavoring and afterwards measured their physical coordination and mental capacities, the independent variable(s) is(are) _____

Answer 1

Answer:

The consumption of alcohol or alcohol flavoring.

Explanation:

In research, we usually have two different types of variables:

• The independent variable is the one that the researchers can control and that will have an effect on another variable.

• The dependent variable is the one that cannot be control and that is affected by the independent variable. Researchers observe this variable to see how it changes. This is the variable that will be tested or measured.

In this example researchers told some subjects they were receiving alcohol and to some others they were not receiving alcohol and measured their physical coordination and mental capacities. We can see that the researchers could control the amount of alcohol the participants were going to consume and the coordination and mental capacities would be affected by this consumption. Therefore, since the consumption of alcohol will have an effect on the other variable, this would be the independent variable.