Types of Variables (Psychology Statistics)

Study Notes

Types of Variables in Psychology Statistics

Binary Variable:
- Represents two possible states, typically labeled as zero and one.
- Examples include "improved/not improved" and "completed task/failed to complete task."
Categorical Variable:
- Indicates membership in categories; common in independent or predictor variables.
- Examples include gender (male/female) and marital status (married/single/divorced/widowed).
- Numerical labels may be assigned (e.g., 0 = male, 1 = female).
Confounding Variable:
- Obscures the effects of another variable, complicating causal relationships.
- Example: Teaching methods (phonics vs. whole language) may confuse assessments of reading achievement.
Continuous Variable:
- Not confined to specific values, allowing for a range of outcomes measured on a scale.
- Examples include reaction time, neuroticism, and IQ, which assume equal interval sizes.
Control Variable:
- An extraneous variable controlled to maintain focus on the primary variables of interest.
- Also referred to as a covariate.
Criterion Variable:
- Represents the presumed effect in nonexperimental studies.
Dependent Variable:
- The presumed effect in experimental studies, influenced by the independent variable.
- Should not be referenced in nonexperimental designs.
Dichotomous Variable:
- A synonym for binary variable, representing two categories.
Discrete Variable:
- Comprises only integer values, such as the number of trials required for a learning task.
Dummy Variables:
- Recodes categorical variables with multiple categories into binary variables for analysis.
- For example, marital status can be divided into multiple binary variables to avoid misleading numerical assumptions.
Endogenous Variable:
- Part of the studied system, arising from within that system and influenced by other variables.
Exogenous Variable:
- Introduced from outside the system being studied and not affected by the system's internal conditions.
Independent Variable:
- The presumed cause in experimental studies, manipulated by the researcher while controlling for others.
- Should not be used in nonexperimental contexts.
Interval Variable:
- A synonym for continuous variable, measured on equally spaced intervals.
Intervening Variable:
- Explains the relationship between other variables by providing a causal link.
- Example: Medical care mediates the relationship between income and longevity.
Latent Variable:
- An underlying, unobserved variable hypothesized to exist and explain patterns in observed variables.

Description

This quiz focuses on key concepts related to different types of variables in psychology statistics, including binary and categorical variables. Test your understanding of how these variables are classified and used in research. Perfect for students looking to reinforce their knowledge in this area.