Question

On the basis of scores on the Jenkins Activity Survey, three groups of participants are identified: Type A, Type B, and intermediate. An equal number of participants in each group are given one of two tasks to perform. One of the tasks is to sit quietly in a small room and estimate, in the absence of a clock, when two full minutes have elapsed. The second task is to make the same estimate, except that while in the small room, the participant will be playing a hand held video game. A. the independent variable(s) – all of them! a. the levels of the IV b. the nature of each IV (between-subjects, within-subjects) c. the type of IV (manipulated or subject variable) B. the dependent variables(s)

Answer 1

The first important thing to understand is that an independent variable is the variable whose effect is being studied and it is the variable that is being changed or manipulated to see the effect on the dependent variable. Now, the dependent variable is the one that is actually being tested and that is dependent on the independent variable. The dependent variable is being measured after variations made in the independent variable. From this perspective, here are the answers to all your questions and sub-parts related to the given case:

A. Independent Variables

While the researcher may be studying the impact of personality type judged by the Jenkins Activity Survey, the researcher may alternatively be studying the impact of specific personality traits judged by the same survey. Thus, some possible independent variables may be the following:

• Overall personality type
• Level of competitiveness
• Level of aggressiveness to achieve
• Level of impatience for task completion
• Approach to task management
• Level of proneness to stress

Similarly, the researcher may be studying the impact of independent variables involved in the experiment conducted by giving two tasks to different personality groups. Such independent variables may include the following:

• Distraction
• Multitasking

a. Levels of IV

• Three levels exist for between-subjects IVs: It refers to the independent variables studied among three groups that are Type A, Type B, and Intermediate.
• Two levels exist for within-subject IVs: It refers to the independent variables studied within two groups that include the control group playing no videogame and the experimental group playing videogame.

b. Nature of each IV

Between-subjects IVs:

• Overall personality type
• Level of competitiveness
• Level of aggressiveness to achieve
• Level of impatience for task completion
• Approach to task management
• Level of proneness to stress

Within-subjects IVs:

• Distraction
• Multitasking

c. Type of IV (manipulated or subject variable)

Between-subjects IVs: These are the variables that are not changed or manipulated during the research or experiment. These are already-existing characteristics of the subjects.

• Overall personality type
• Level of competitiveness
• Level of aggressiveness to achieve
• Level of impatience for task completion
• Approach to task management
• Level of proneness to stress

Manipulated IVs: These are the variables that are changed or manipulated during the research or experiment.

• Distraction
• Multitasking

B. Dependent Variables

Some possible dependent variables on which the effect of one or more independent variables is being seen include the following:

• Concentration or focus on task
• Task completion ability
• Overall task performance