Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) Practice Test

In an experiment assessing the effectiveness of time-out for physical aggression, the time-out procedure is classified as which variable?

1. Dependent variable

2. Independent variable

3. Confounding variable

4. Extraneous variable

The correct answer is: Independent variable

The time-out procedure is classified as the independent variable because it is the variable being manipulated by the researcher to assess its effects on the outcomes of interest, specifically physical aggression in this case. By implementing the time-out, the researcher is examining how this intervention influences the frequency or severity of aggressive behaviors. The goal is to determine if changes in the dependent variable (physical aggression) are a direct result of the manipulation (time-out) of the independent variable. In experimental design, the independent variable is what the experimenter controls and alters to observe if it leads to a change in the dependent variable. In contrast, the dependent variable is the response or behavior that is measured to assess the effect of the independent variable. The concepts of confounding and extraneous variables refer to other factors that may influence the outcome but are not the focus of the experiment. In this context, they are not directly relevant to the classification of the time-out procedure. Each of these variables plays a different role in research design, making it essential to identify and manipulate the independent variable correctly to draw accurate conclusions.