Final answer:
The independent variable in this study is the information presented to the participants, while the dependent variable is the degree to which the participants believe their behavior impacts their academic achievement. The researchers can conclude that attitudes, influenced by the type of information received, play a role in how individuals perceive the relationship between behavior and academic success.
Step-by-step explanation:
The independent variable in this study is the information presented to the participants - whether they read a summary suggesting that academic achievement is primarily the result of intelligence or effort. This variable is manipulated by the researcher and assigned randomly to the participants in two groups.
The dependent variable is the degree to which the participants believe their behavior impacts their academic achievement. This variable is measured by the scores obtained from the participants' responses, which range from 1 (not very much) to 9 (the primary factor).
The researchers can conclude that the information presented to the participants (intelligence or effort) had a significant effect on their beliefs regarding the impact of their behavior on academic achievement. This suggests that attitudes, influenced by the type of information received, play a role in how individuals perceive the relationship between behavior and academic success.