dependent variable

variable

 [var´e-ah-b'l]

something that changes; an attribute or property of a person, event, or object that is known to vary in a given study.

dependent variable in a mathematical equation or relationship between two or more variables, a variable whose value depends on those of others; it represents a response, behavior, or outcome that the researcher wishes to predict or explain.

extraneous variable a factor that is not itself under study but affects the measurement of the study variables or the examination of their relationships.

independent variable in a mathematical equation or relationship between two or more variables, any variable whose value determines that of others; it represents the treatment or experimental variable that is manipulated by the researcher to create an effect on the dependent variable.

de·pen·dent var·i·a·ble

in experiments, a variable that is influenced by or dependent on changes in the independent variable; for example, the amount of a written passage retained (dependent variable) as a function of the different numbers of minutes (independent variable) allowed to study the passage.

dependent variable

(in research) a factor that is measured to learn the effect of one or more independent variables. For example, in a study of the effect of preoperative nursing intervention on postoperative vomiting, vomiting is the dependent variable measured to determine the effect of the nursing intervention. Compare independent variable.

dependent variable

An objective finding measured in an experiment that is expected to change as a result of an experimental manipulation of the independent variable(s).

dependent variable

Epidemiology An outcome variable/variables that reflects other, independent, variables in the relationship being studied. See Variable.

variable

1. any type of measurement, quantitative or qualitative, of which a series of individual observations is made so that it has, as a principal characteristic, the potential for variability.

2. has the quality of variability.

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variable agent

an agent in the cause of a disease which is capable of variation in intensity, e.g. weather, as contrasted to one that is not variable, e.g. Salmonella dublin.

concomitant v's

in experimental design these refer to factors that affect the dependent variable, but are not themselves influenced by the treatment (e.g. age of animal). The effect of concomitant variables can be removed by suitable experimental design or by including them in the model.

continuous variable

one in which all values within a given range are possible, e.g. birth weights of calves.

variable costs

costs which vary with the dimensions of the activity. Includes seed, fertilizer, teat dip, worm drench. Called also direct costs. See also fixed costs.

dependent variable

1. in statistics the variable predicted by a regression equation.

2. a variable which depends on other variables for its value.

discontinuous variable

see discrete variable (below).

discrete variable

one in which the possible values are not on a continuous scale, e.g. the number of sheep in a flock.

endogenous variable

dependent variable.

exogenous variable

independent or predetermined variable.

independent variable

one not dependent on other variables but capable of affecting dependent variables, thus an input variable.

spatial variable

a measurement relating to area or location.

temporal variable

one relating to chronological time.