The variable that is affected by the manipulation of the independent variable

A comparison condition that does not receive the active treatment or intervention, or receives a placebo

The condition or group that researchers manipulate; it is not affected by other variables

A study method where variables are described but not manipulated, so causality cannot be measured

Other variables (noise/confounding) that can affect the dependent variable; researchers try to control these

A specific intervention or level of the independent variable applied to participants in an experiment

A study method used to measure causal relationships by manipulating an independent variable