Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
Experimental variables are the factors or conditions that are intentionally changed or manipulated in an experiment to observe their effect on the dependent variable.
Related terms
Independent variable: The independent variable is the specific experimental variable that is deliberately changed by the scientist.
Dependent variable: The dependent variable is the outcome or result that is measured and observed in response to changes in the independent variable.
Control group: A control group is a group in an experiment that does not receive any treatment or manipulation and serves as a baseline for comparison with the experimental group.