Sociological studies test relationships in which change in one __ causes change in another. Group of answer choices test subject behavior variable operational definition
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The correct answer is variable.
In sociological studies, a variable is something that can be changed or manipulated to observe how it affects another factor. A variable could be a characteristic, condition, or factor that is measured or controlled in a study. It could include things like age, gender, income, education level, or social behavior. When studying relationships between variables, sociologists aim to observe how a change in one variable (called the independent variable) causes a change in another (the dependent variable). This relationship helps researchers understand cause and effect patterns in social phenomena.
For instance, if researchers are studying the impact of education on income, they might manipulate the education level (independent variable) and observe changes in income (dependent variable). This causal relationship helps sociologists draw conclusions about how different factors in society are interconnected.
Now, let’s break down the other terms:
- Test subject refers to the individuals or groups that are being studied in the research, but it is not the right term for the variable causing the change.
- Behavior is the observed actions or reactions of the test subjects in response to certain stimuli or variables. While behavior can be a variable in a study, it is not the term that describes the relationship between the variables.
- Operational definition refers to how a researcher defines a variable in a way that can be measured. It is important for clarity, but it does not describe the relationship between changing variables.
Therefore, the correct term is variable, as sociological studies are designed to test how a change in one variable (independent) influences a change in another (dependent).
