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Independent Variable - GCSE Psychology Definition

Reviewed by: Raj Bonsor

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An independent variable is a key part of an experiment in psychology. It is the factor that researchers change to see how it affects something else.

For example, if you are testing how different amounts of sleep affect test scores, the amount of sleep is the independent variable. By changing the independent variable, psychologists can see what effects it has on behaviours or outcomes, helping them understand more about how things work.

In experiments, the independent variable is like the cause, and researchers look at what effect it has on the DV, which would be the thing they measure.

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Raj Bonsor

Reviewer: Raj Bonsor

Expertise: Psychology & Sociology Content Creator

Raj joined Save My Exams in 2024 as a Senior Content Creator for Psychology & Sociology. Prior to this, she spent fifteen years in the classroom, teaching hundreds of GCSE and A Level students. She has experience as Subject Leader for Psychology and Sociology, and her favourite topics to teach are research methods (especially inferential statistics!) and attachment. She has also successfully taught a number of Level 3 subjects, including criminology, health & social care, and citizenship.

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