Question

Which of the following describes the independent variable?

It is called the respondent variable.
It is plotted on the vertical axis when graphed.
It refers to a quantity changed by the experimenter.
It is something that remains controlled during trials.

Answer 1

It refers to a quantity changed by the experimenter.

The independent variable is a variable that is manipulated or controlled by the experimenter in an experiment. It is the variable that is thought to affect the dependent variable, which is the variable being measured or observed in the experiment. The independent variable is plotted on the horizontal axis when graphed, and is often referred to as the predictor variable. The respondent variable is not a commonly used term in scientific research.