A researcher is interested in interpersonal attraction and the factors that affect it. She designs a study in which she looks at the effect of similarity and social warmth on interpersonal attraction. Participants in her study meet a target person who either is or is not similar to the participant (the similarity variable) and who is either friendly or aloof (the social warmth variable). After interacting with the target person under these conditions, participants are then asked to rate how attractive they think the target person is. In this study, the independent variables are:
A) similarity and interpersonal attraction.
B) similarity and social warmth.
C) social warmth and interpersonal attraction.
D) similarity, social warmth, and interpersonal attraction.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The independent variables are the factors that the researcher manipulates, in this case similarity and social warmth. Interpersonal attraction is the dependent variable, meaning it is the outcome being measured. Therefore, option A is incorrect. Option C is incorrect because social warmth is already included as one of the independent variables. Option D is incorrect because interpersonal attraction is not an independent variable, but rather the dependent variable being measured.

A Researcher Is Interested in Interpersonal Attraction and the Factors