Andy hypothesized that the stress created during economic downturns would increase the probability of spousal abuse. Stress would be considered the variable, and spousal abuse would be considered the variable. A) dependent; independent
B) key; affected
C) moderating; dependent
D) independent; dependent

Answer is D

Explanation: Independent variables are variables that are not affected by altering or changing the measurement of other variables. In other words, they are independent of the change in other variables. However, dependent variables are variables that depends on other factors or whose measurements or values are changed by altering other variables.

For example, in the case of a person's age and the size of clothes the person wears, the person's age is the independent variable while the size of clothes the person wears is the dependent variable because the person's age is not affected by a change in the size of clothes he or she wears, rather, the size of clothes is dependent on the age of the person, as an increase in age will most likely bring about an increase in the size of clothes worn.

Therefore, in light of Andy's hypothesis, stress would be considered the independent variable since it is unaffected by spousal abuse, while on the opposite, the spousal abuse is affected by stress, thus, it is the dependent variable

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