Word Origin and History for attenuate Expand v. to make thin, to make less, 1520s, from Latin attenuatus enfeebled, weak, past participle of attenuare to make thin, lessen, diminish, from ad-to (see ad-) + tenuare make thin, from tenuis thin (see tenet).
Dependent Variable Definition: A dependent variable is the variable being tested in a scientific experiment. The dependent variable is 'dependent' on the independent variable. As the experimenter changes the independent variable, the change in the dependent variable is observed and recorded.
A variable is anything that can vary, i.e. changed or be changed, such as memory, attention, time taken to perform a task, etc. Variable are given a special name that only applies to experimental investigations. One is called the dependent variable and the other the independent variable. In an experiment, the researcher is looking for the possible effect on the dependent variable that might be caused by changing the independent variable. â¢ Independent variable (IV) : Variable the experimenter manipulates (i.e. changes) â assumed to have a direct effect on the dependent variable. â¢ Dependent variable (DV) : Variable the experimenter measures, after making changes to the IV that are assumed to affect the DV. For example, we might change the type of information (e.g. organized or random) given to participants to see what effect this might have on the amount of information remembered.