A researcher wants to know whether eating chocolate makes people nervous. Some participants are given two bars of chocolate to eat and some are given no chocolate at all, and then all of the participants are tested for nervousness an hour later. In this experiment, the amount of chocolate eaten is the independent variable.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The independent variable, or the variable that is manipulated by the researcher, is the amount of chocolate eaten. By giving some participants two bars of chocolate and others no chocolate at all, the researcher is manipulating the independent variable to see how it affects the dependent variable (nervousness).

A Researcher Wants to Know Whether Eating Chocolate Makes People