In an experiment on attitudes, participants are given either positive or negative information about a speaker and then asked to evaluate the effectiveness of the speaker. In this experiment, which is the independent variable?
A) The effectiveness of the speaker
B) The type of information the participants are given
C) Attitude change
D) The speaker

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The independent variable is the variable that is purposely manipulated by the researcher in order to observe its effect on the dependent variable, which is the variable being measured. In this experiment, the researcher is manipulating the type of information the participants are given (positive or negative) in order to observe its effect on their evaluation of the speaker's effectiveness. Therefore, the type of information given is the independent variable.

In an Experiment on Attitudes, Participants Are Given Either Positive