A researcher tells a group of participants that as part of his experiment they are going to receive "painful" electrical shocks. He tells a second group that they will receive "mild" electric shock. He asks participants in both groups whether they prefer to wait alone or with others while he sets up the shock machinery. What is the dependent variable?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The dependent variable is the variable being measured, which in this case is the participants' answers to the question about waiting. The researcher is interested in how the participants' preference for waiting alone or with others might be influenced by the expectation of receiving painful or mild shocks. The types of shocks (painful vs. mild) and the shock machinery are independent variables that are being manipulated by the researcher.

A Researcher Tells a Group of Participants That as Part