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Types of Variables

The document defines different types of variables that can be used in research: 1. Continuous variables can take any value within a range, like age or temperature. Discrete variables only take distinct values like gender. 2. Independent variables are thought to influence outcomes, dependent variables depend on the independent variables, and intervening variables influence the relationship between independent and dependent variables. 3. Control variables are measured to statistically account for their influence, while confounding variables are not directly measured but could also affect outcomes. The types and roles of variables are fundamental concepts in research design and analysis.

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77 views31 pages

Types of Variables

The document defines different types of variables that can be used in research: 1. Continuous variables can take any value within a range, like age or temperature. Discrete variables only take distinct values like gender. 2. Independent variables are thought to influence outcomes, dependent variables depend on the independent variables, and intervening variables influence the relationship between independent and dependent variables. 3. Control variables are measured to statistically account for their influence, while confounding variables are not directly measured but could also affect outcomes. The types and roles of variables are fundamental concepts in research design and analysis.

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LESSON 3: KINDS OF

VARIABLES and THEIR


USES

THE VARIABLES IN
RESEARCH
The term ‘variable’ has been
mentioned several times so that
it is necessary to define it here.
In research, a variable refers to
a “characteristics that has two
or more mutually exclusive
values or properties” (Sevilla
and Other, 1988).
Sex, for instance, has two
properties which are maleness and
femaleness. The ages of different
persons have different values; so
with their size, height, weight and
income. The phenomenon of variety
is what makes life interesting; it is
one of the motivating factors of the
research undertaking.
The root word of the word
variable is “vary” or simply
“can change”. These variables
are among the fundamental
concepts of research,
alongside with measurement,
validity, reliability, cause and
effect;
and theory. Bernard
(1994) defines a variable
as something that can
take more than one value,
and values can be words
or numbers.
A variable specifically
refers to characteristics, or
attribute of an individual or
an organization that can be
measured or observed and
that varies among the people
or organization being studied
(Creswell, 2002).
TYPES OF VARIABLES
(ALLEN, TITSWORTH, HUNT,
2009)
1. CONTINUOUS VARIABLES – A
variable that can take infinite
number on the value that can
occur within the population. Its
values can be divided into
fractions. Examples of this type of
variable include age, height, and
temperature. Continuous variables
can be further categorized as:
a. INTERVAL VARIABLES – It have
values that lie along an evenly
dispersed range of numbers. It is
a measurement where the
difference between two values
does have meaning. Examples of
interval data include
temperature, a person’s net
worth (how much money you
have when you subtract your debt
from your assets), etc. In
temperature, this may illustrate as
the difference between a
temperature of 60 degrees and 50
degrees is the same as difference
between 30 degrees and 20
degrees. The interval between
values makes sense and can be
interpreted.
b. RATIO VARIABLES – It have
values that lie along an evenly
dispersed range of numbers when
there is absolute zero. It
possesses the properties of
interval variable and has a clear
definition of zero, indication that
there is none of that variable.
Examples of which are height,
weight, and distance. Most scores
stemming from response to survey
items are ratio-level values because
they typically cannot go below zero.
Temperature measured in degrees
Celsius and degrees Fahrenheit is
not a ratio variable because 0 under
these temperatures scales does not
mean no temperature at all.
2. DISCRETE VARIABLES – This is
also known as categorical or
classificatory variable. This is any
variable that has limited number
of distinct values and which
cannot be divided into fractions
like sex, blood group, and number
of children in family. Discrete
variable may also categorized into:
a. NOMINAL VARIABLE – It
represent categories that
cannot be ordered in any
particular way. It is a variable
with no quantitative value. It
has two or more categories
but does not imply ordering of
cases.
Common examples of this variable
include eye color, business type,
religion, biological sex, political
affiliation, basketball fan
affiliation, etc. A sub-type of
nominal scale with only two
categories just like sex is known as
dichotomous.
b. ORDINAL VARIABLE – It
represent categories that
can be ordered from
greatest to smallest. This
variable has two or more
categories which can be
ranked. Examples of ordinal
variable include education level,
income brackets, etc. An
illustration of this is, if you asked
people if they liked listening to
music while studying and they
could answer either “NOT VERY
MUCH”, “MUCH”, “VERY MUCH”
then you have an ordinal variable.
While you can
rank them, we cannot place a
value to them. In this type,
distances between attributes do
not have any meaning. For
example, you used educational
attainment as a variable on survey,
you might code elementary school
graduates = 1, high graduates = 2,
college undergraduate = 3,
and college graduate = 4. In this
measure, higher number means
greater education. Even though we
can rank these from lowest to
highest, the spacing between the
values may not be the same across
the levels of the variables. The
distance between 3 and 4 is not the
same with the distance between 1
and 2.
KINDS OF VARIABLES

Several experts have lumped


together the following as the
major kinds of variables:
1. INDEPENDENT VARIABLES –
Those that probably cause, influence,
or affect outcomes. They are
invariably called treatment,
manipulated, antecedent or predictor
variables. This is the cause variable or
the one responsible for the
conditions that act on something else
to bring about changes.
EXAMPLE: A study is on the
relationship of study habits and
academic performance of SNHS
senior high school students.
STUDY HABITS is the
independent variable because it
influenced the outcome or the
performance of the students.
2. DEPENDENT VARIABLES –
those that depend on the
independent variables; they
are the outcomes or results of
the influence of the
independent variable. That is
why it is also called outcome
variable.
EXAMPLE: A study is on the
relationship of study habits and
academic performance of SNHS
senior high school students.
ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE is the
dependent variable because it is
depending on the study habits of the
students; if the students change their
study habit the academic
performance also change.
3. INTERVENING OR MEDLING
VARIABLES – Variables that
“stand between” the
independent and dependent
variables, and they show the
effects of the independent
variable on the dependent
variable.
EXAMPLE: Consider the given
below. Even if farm production is
good, if the attitude towards
payment is negative, loan
repayment would be low,
whereas, if the attitude towards
repayment is positive or
favorable, loan repayment would
be high.
FARM ATTITUDE LOAN
PRODUCTION TOWARDS REPAYMENT
REPAYMENT
DV
DV
IV
4. CONTROL VARIABLES – A
special types of independent
variables that are measured in the
study because they potentially
influence the dependent variable.
Researchers use statistical
procedures (e.g. analysis of
covariance) to control these
variables.
They may be demographic or
personal variables that need
to be “controlled” so that the
true influence of the
independent variable on the
dependent variable can be
determined.
5. CONFOUNDING VARIABLES –
Variables that are not actually
measured or observed in a study.
They exist but their influence
cannot be directly detected in a
study. Researchers comment on
the influence of confounding
variables
after the study has been
completed, because these
variables may have operated
to explain the relationship
between the independent
variables and dependent
variable, but they were not or
could not be easily assessed.

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