A Researcher Who Is Interested in Beliefs About Work and Family

A researcher who is interested in beliefs about work and family arrangements believes that men and women are likely to hold different views on the subject. Analyzing data from the General Social Survey, she finds that men are in fact much more likely to believe that "It is much better for everyone involved if the man is the achiever outside the home and the woman takes care of the home and family." This researcher is using respondents' gender as the:

A) independent variable
B) control variable
C) dependent variable
D) intervening variable