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
Manipulation refers to intentionally altering or changing something for experimental purposes in order to study its effects on other variables.
Related terms
Independent Variable (IV): The variable manipulated by the researcher in an experiment.
Treatment Group/Condition: The group or condition in an experiment that receives the manipulated variable.
Control Group/Condition: The group or condition in an experiment that does not receive the manipulated variable and serves as a baseline for comparison.