Independent Variable
Also called: IV, treatment variable, intervention
Definition
The condition that the experimenter or clinician manipulates on purpose to see whether it changes the dependent variable. In applied work it is the intervention itself, and procedural integrity is the measure of whether it was actually delivered.
In plain language
The thing you change on purpose, usually the treatment, to see what happens to the behavior.
Example
Adding praise for every hand raise is the independent variable in a study of hand raising.
Not independent variable
The number of hand raises. That is what is measured, so it is the dependent variable.
Commonly confused with
See also
Written from
- johnston-pennypacker-2020
Written from standard experimental-method usage and Johnston, Pennypacker and Green (2020) for terminology. No textbook glossary consulted.
This entry has not yet been through clinical review. Treat it as a draft.