Question

I am doing a psychology research methods project - this is an observational study only. I developed my hypothesis:

Television shows of the past were less controversial and more family friendly than today’s shows, as evidenced when specifically looking at popular categories of television including talk shows, situational comedies, and dramas where violence and sexual content are compared.

MY QUESTION: Identify the 2 variables that you will be investigating in your research study (the hypothesis is above)

Answer 1

• Since it is an observational study,there cannot be a independent and dependant variable.In an observational study, the researcher compares subjects against a control group and comes to a conclusion. In an observational study, the researcher has no "control" over the experiment. That is, he cannot manipulate or control some kind of "independent" variable. He can only observe the differences that arise in two or more different "groups" of subjects.
• So to test this hypotheses,the effects of television programs with and violent/sexual content can be studied on a sample audience which could include 2 groups i.e. teenagers and adults. Effect of violent television programs on behaviours of teenagers and adults.
• Observational research has response and explanatory variables.A response variable is the observed variable, or variable in question,i.e. the behaviour the sample groups is the response variable. This is similar to a dependent variable, which is a condition or piece of data in an experiment that is controlled or influenced by an outside factor, most often the independent variable. These concepts are similar, but not the same.
• In explanatory variable is a variable, or set of variables, that can influence the response variable,i.e. the violent/sexual television programs.This is similar to an independent variable, which is a condition or piece of data in an experiment that can be controlled or changed. The difference between explanatory variables and independent variables is that explanatory variables can't always be controlled or changed.
• Two things are required of an observational study. First, the variables must be observed and the data must be collected through observation. A researcher can't add in any extra information, or guesses. All of the information must be evidence in the observational study. Second, the researcher can only observe, they cannot interfere with the study in any way. So,as a researcher you can observe the behaviour and then collect information through a survey in order to make comparisons between the two groups and the effects on their behaviours.