Statistics Dictionary
To see a definition, select a term from the dropdown text box below. The statistics
dictionary will display the definition, plus links to related web pages.
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Independent Variable
In an experimental design, the independent variable
is the variable that is manipulated
by the experimenter to determine its relationship to an
observed phenomenon, called the dependent variable.
More generally, the independent variable
is the “cause,” while dependent variable is the “effect”
of the independent variable.
The independent variable is also called the manipulated variable or the
predictor variable.