Question

Harrison et al. are conducting a study assessing the ability of depressed versus non-depressed participants to remember negative emotions in a short story about a family whose car breaks down. They plan to ask participants to read the story and then make a list of the emotions expressed in the story. Before beginning the study, they make a list of negative emotions (e.g., sadness and anger) that they will record from the participants' responses. In this example, negative emotions are the ________.

A) dependent variable

B) independent variable

C) operational definition

D) control group

Answer 1

In the study by Harrison et al., the negative emotions recalled by participants serve as the dependent variable, which is influenced by their depression status, the independent variable.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the study conducted by Harrison et al., the negative emotions that participants remember after reading a short story would be considered the dependent variable. This is because in an experimental study, a dependent variable is what the researcher measures to see the effect of the independent variable. In this context, the researchers are looking at how the participants' depression status (depressed versus non-depressed), which serves as the independent variable, influences the ability to remember negative emotions from the story.