A research psychologist manipulates the caffeine intake (2 mg, 5 mg, 10 mg) in human participants in the laboratory and then examines what effect the different levels of caffeine have on the participants' mood scores. In this study, mood scores are the __________ variable.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The mood scores are the outcome variable that the researcher is measuring and examining to see how they are affected by the different levels of caffeine intake. Therefore, they are the dependent variable. The independent variable is the caffeine intake, which the researcher is manipulating. The study is experimental because the researcher is manipulating the independent variable to observe its effects on the dependent variable. Correlational studies examine the relationship between variables, but this study is experimental because it involves manipulating the independent variable.

A Research Psychologist Manipulates the Caffeine Intake (2 Mg, 5