In: Psychology
The experimental method is the most effective method at drawing cause and effect conclusions. It is different from other methods in that it can specifically control elements in a study and find out the cause and its effects. The experimental method has an independent variable, this variable is the one which is administered by the researcher and manipulated by him so that its effect can be seen on the subject. The effect of the independent variable is called the depend variable, and the dependent variable in effect is the result of the study, and it shows how an independent variable as caused a dependent variable.
In an experimental study these variable are very carefully controlled, so that, apart from the independent variable no other variable is responsible for the effect which is seen on the subject. When a outside variable has contributed to effect of the dependent variable, it means that the experiment may suffer in its validity and hence it is very important to control such variable. These variables are called the confounding variable.