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How Are Variables Used in

Psychology Research?
By Kendra Cherry Fact checked by James Lacy Updated on April 07, 2020

A variable is something that can be changed or varied, such as a characteristic or value.

Variables are generally used in psychology experiments to determine if changes to one thing
result in changes to another.

Variables play a critical role in the psychological research process. By systematically varying
some variables and measuring the effects on other variables, researchers can determine if
changes to one thing result in changes in something else.

The Dependent and Independent Variables

In a psychology experiment:

The independent variable is the variable that is controlled and manipulated by the
experimenter. For example, in an experiment on the impact of sleep deprivation on test
performance, sleep deprivation would be the independent variable.
The dependent variable is the variable that is measured by the experimenter. In our
previous example, the scores on the test performance measure would be the
dependent variable.

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Extraneous and Confounding Variables

It is important to note that the independent and dependent variables are not the only
variables present in many experiments. In some cases, extraneous variables may also play a
role. This type of variable is one that may have an impact on the relationship between the
independent and dependent variables.

For example, in our previous description of an experiment on the effects of sleep deprivation
on test performance, other factors such as age, gender, and academic background may have
an impact on the results. In such cases, the experimenter will note the values of these
extraneous variables so this impact on the results can be controlled for.

There are two basic types of extraneous variables:

1. Participant Variables: These extraneous variables are related to individual

characteristics of each participant that may impact how he or she responds. These
factors can include background differences, mood, anxiety, intelligence, awareness and
other characteristics that are unique to each person.
2. Situational Variables: These extraneous variables are related to things in the
environment that may impact how each participant responds. For example, if a
participant is taking a test in a chilly room, the temperature would be considered an
extraneous variable. Some participants may not be affected by the cold, but others
might be distracted or annoyed by the temperature of the room.

Other extraneous variables include the following:

Demand characteristics: Clues in the environment that suggest how a participant

should behave
Experimenter effects: When a researcher unintentionally suggests clues for how a
participant should behave

In many cases, extraneous variables are controlled for by the experimenter. In the case of
participant variables, the experiment might select participants that are the same in
background and temperament to ensure that these factors do not interfere with the results.

Confounding Variables

If a variable cannot be controlled for, it becomes what is known as a confounding variable

This type of variable can have an impact on the dependent variable, which can make it
difficult to determine if the results are due to the influence of the independent variable, the
confounding variable or an interaction of the two.

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Operationally Defining a Variable

Before conducting a psychology experiment, it is essential to create firm operational
definitions for both the independent variable and dependent variable. An operational
definition describes how the variables are measured and defined in the study.

For example, in our imaginary experiment on the effects of sleep deprivation on test
performance, we would need to create very specific operational definitions for our two
variables. If our hypothesis is "Students who are sleep deprived will score significantly lower
on a test," then we would have a few different concepts to define. First, what do we mean by
students? In our example, let’s define students as participants enrolled in an introductory
university-level psychology course.

Next, we need to operationally define the sleep deprivation variable. In our example, let’s say
that sleep deprivation refers to those participants who have had less than five hours of sleep
the night before the test. Finally, we need to create an operational definition for the test
variable. For this example, the test variable will be defined as a student’s score on a chapter
exam in the introductory psychology course.

Students often report problems with identifying the independent and dependent variables in
an experiment. While the task can become more difficult as the complexity of an experiment
increases, there are a few questions you can ask when trying to identify a variable.

What is the experimenter manipulating? The things that change, either naturally or through
direct manipulation from the experimenter, are generally the independent variables. What is
being measured? The dependent variable is the one that the experimenter is measuring.

Article Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts
within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our
content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

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1. American Psychological Association. APA Dictionary of Psychology.

Additional Reading

Evans, AN & Rooney, BJ. Methods in Psychological Research. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE
Publications; 2014.

Kantowitz, BH, Roediger, HL, & Elmes, DG. Experimental Psychology. Stamfort, CT: Cengage
Learning; 2015.

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