A variable is a concept or characteristic that can vary or change in value, such as age, income, or gender. In social science research, variables are used to measure and study different aspects of human behavior and social phenomena. Variables can be classified as either independent or dependent. Independent variables are manipulated or controlled by the researcher to observe their effects on the dependent variable, which is the outcome or response being measured. For example, in a study examining the relationship between education level and income, education level would be the independent variable and income would be the dependent variable. Overall, variables are important for understanding and analyzing relationships between different factors in social science research.
