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Introduction to Research Methods

By Kendra Van Wagner, About.com

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Causal Relationships Between Variables

What do we mean when we talk about a “relationship” between variables? In psychological research, we are referring to a connection between two or more factors that we can measure or systematically vary.

One of the most important distinctions to make when discussing the relationship between variables is the meaning of causation.

  • A causal relationship is when one variable causes a change in another variable. These types of relationships are investigated by experimental research in order to determine if changes in one variable truly causes changes in another variable.

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