A psychologist was interested in the effect of hunger on psychological disturbances. The psychologist deprived half of a group of healthy volunteers of food for one day and fed the other half normally, then administered the MMPI-2 to all the participants. What was the independent variable?

A) level of food deprivation

B) the MMPI-2

C) the results on the MMPI-2

D) There is no independent variable because this is a correlational study.

level of food deprivation

A) level of food deprivation

Explanation:

In research, we usually have two different types of variables:

The independent variable is the one that the researchers can control and that will have an effect on another variable. The dependent variable is the one that cannot be control and that is affected by the independent variable. Researchers observe this variable to see how it changes. This is the variable that will be tested or measured.

In this example, researchers want to know the effect on hunger on psychological disturbances, we can see that hunger (or the level of food deprivation) will have an effect on psychological disturbances. Therefore, this would be the independent variable and the correct answer is A) level of food deprivation