Which of the following phrases describes a manipulated variable?
A)"Participants wrote down how many text messages they had sent the day before."
B)"Researchers recorded whether participants volunteered to help the student in need or did not volunteer."
C)"Participants were placed in the high tempo music condition, the low tempo music condition, or the no music condition based on which color card they randomly drew from a deck."
D)"Researchers recorded the length of time participants took to complete the anagrams."

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In this phrase, the participants are being placed in different conditions based on the variable of which color card they randomly drew. This is an example of a manipulated variable, which is being intentionally changed by the researchers to observe its effect on the outcome.

Answer: A, D
 These phrases both describe variables being observed or measured, rather than being manipulated by the researchers. In option A, the number of text messages sent is being recorded, while in option D, the time taken to complete anagrams is being timed. These are examples of measured variables.

Which of the Following Phrases Describes a Manipulated Variable