Final answer:
Any change attributed to the independent variable after controlling for other outcomes is known as a causal relationship. This designation is given based on the direct observation of the dependent variable’s change when the independent variable is manipulated in an experiment.
Step-by-step explanation:
An experimental study typically involves manipulating one specific variable to test its effect on another variable. The variable being tested and affected by the manipulation is known as the dependent variable, or the outcome variable. Conversely, the variable that researchers modify or control to examine its impact on the dependent variable is referred to as the independent variable.
While conducting an experiment, control variables are factors that are kept constant to ensure that the only variable influencing the dependent variable’s change is the independent one. When an independent variable is manipulated and a direct change is observed in the dependent variable, we can determine that there exists a causal relationship between them. This relationship is deduced by ruling out other potential influential factors, thereby isolating the independent variable as the cause of the change observed in the dependent variable.