Human Sciences Research

Describe Independent Variable:

An independent variable is a factor that can be varied or manipulated in an experiment (e.g. an object). This means that it in the thing in an experiment that you change, for example using distance, this is the thing that you will want to change in order to find out the results and to support your conclusion and your own hypothesis.

Describe Dependant Variable:

A dependent variable is what you measure in the experiment and what is affected during the experiment for example time and height. This variable depends solely upon the independent variable, thus making it dependant.

The difference between control/experimental group:

The control group only thinks that they are receiving results of whatever it is they are testing while only the experimental group is really receiving it. However, if you are a member of either group you will never know which you were a part of. It would/could skew the results and render the entire test invalid. For example, the reason that these groups are different comes down to the truth that will need to be gained from the experiments, and truth from a person is hard to gain when they know the specific answers that the experimental group is searching for. Therefore, the experimental group are the ones performing the test secretly, and the control group are the oblivious ones involved in participating within the test.

2.What implication(s) does this have for knowledge gained in the human sciences (how does this issue or concept affect our ability to learn and know things via the human sciences)

The implications from dependant and independent variables are that dependant variables depend solely upon that of the independent, so if the independent variable goes wrong, the dependant cannot complete the test without the reliable results gained from the independent. That is its fault.

For the control and experimental groupings, the experimental group depends upon the control group to produce reliable and truthful results; otherwise the test will be in vain. This is hard to gain, as truth is incredibly difficult to gain from human beings without them being oblivious to the test that is being carried out upon them. Truth is hard enough to gain, but by adding human nature to the equation, you almost have a recipe for disaste