Independent and Dependent Variables An experimenter provided two groups of rats different quantities of food for successfully completing the same maze.She controlled the kind of food and the amount of time the rats had access to the food.She reported that both groups of rats committed the same number of errors in learning the maze.The number of errors was
A)a confounding variable.
B)a subject variable.
C)the dependent variable.
D)the independent variable.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The number of errors is the dependent variable because it is the outcome being measured and is expected to vary based on the amount of food provided, which is the independent variable being manipulated by the experimenter. The kind of food and amount of time the rats had access to the food are potential extraneous variables being controlled by the experimenter.

Independent and Dependent Variables an Experimenter Provided Two Groups of Rats