KINDS OF VARIABLES AND THEIR USES

VARIABLES
The Variables is a central idea in a quantitative research. Quantitative research generally involves the measurement of one
or more observable characteristics of people, groups, communities; these are referred to as variables. Variables may be defined as
characteristic or attribute that takes on different values. They are sets of attributes or characteristics we ascribe to the individual
group or phenomena we are studying. Singh (2007,122) notes that the research process is an “attempt to collect information about
the variables of interest.”
Variables are measurable attributes or characteristics that can vary for different cases. These attributes should be able to
take on at least two distinct values or have at least two distinct categories. For example, gender is a variable since it can be classified
into two criteria- male or female. Similarly, weight is also a variable. One person may weigh around 50 kilograms another can weigh
75 kilograms. It can be observed and measured.
Variables serves as basis for collecting, organizing, presenting, analyzing, and interpreting data in quantitative research.
They allow us to observe, measure, and describe one or more characteristics or attribute of a person, group, or community. For
example, we can study how much money the residents in our barangay earn in one month sing variable income. We can focus in
their monthly earnings to observe, measure, and describe them.
Variables allow us to organize or classify a person, group, or community according to one more attribute or characteristic.
As well, they also allow us to compare two or more individuals, groups, or communities. In our previous example, we can easily
group or classify the people in our barangay based on how much earnings they make in a month. Afterward, we can group them into
low income group and high income group. This grouping can serve as basis for studying other characteristics.

Four Types of Operational Variables

Example: Salary and job satisfaction among Cauayan residents

IV=salary DV=job satisfaction
Relationship between disposable income and location amongst young adults
IV=location DV=disposable income

These are four sets of operational variables in studies that attempt to investigate causal relationship or association. They
are as follow:
1. Independent variable or change variables -- variables that cause changes in a phenomenon or situation. It occurs prior
to all variables. Independent variables are also called treatment, antecedent, manipulated, or predictor variables. For
example, the level of affection exhibited by the parents is an independent variable which influences the academic
performance of their children. A person’s religious affiliation is an independent variable and can be measured through
how much it influences one’s voting preferences.

EXAMPLE: A study is on the relationship of study habits and academic performance of UTNHS senior high school
students. STUDY HABITS is the independent variable because it influenced the outcome or the performance of the
students.

2. Dependent variables or outcome variables – these are effects brought by the independent variables. In quantitative
research, we predict or associate the values of the dependent variables through the values of the independent
variables. Dependent variables are also referred to as outcome, effect, or response variable. For example, the number
of migrants to a host country is a dependent variable of the socioeconomic conditions in a source country. Low income
levels in a source country may influence more people to migrate.

EXAMPLE: A study is on the relationship of study habits and academic performance of UTNHS senior high school
students. ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE is the dependent variable because it is depending on the study habits of the
students; if the students change their study habit the academic performance also change.

3. Inverting variables – these variables are the links between dependent and independent variables. There are certain
phenomena in which, without the intervening variable, these will be no observed significant effect to the dependent
variable from the independent variable (Kumar 1996). A study looking into the impact of the country’s regime type
and a country’s support for LGBT rights may be influenced by that country’s level of freedom of assembly.

EXAMPLE: Consider the given below. Even if farm production is good, if the attitude towards payment is negative, loan
repayment would be low, whereas, if the attitude towards repayment is positive or favorable, loan repayment would
be high.

4. Antecedent variables – antecedent variables are independent variables which precede other independent variables.
These are the variables which affect the link between the cause, connecting, and effect variables. They increase or
decrease the strength of the relationship between independent and dependent variables. For example, you are
looking into the positive relationship between internet usage and political participation. You encountered similar
studies which disprove the relationship due to internet access and censorship. Thus, internet access and censorship
may be treated as the antecedent variable to internet usage (independent variable) and political participation
(dependent variable).

Let us take one example to illustrate the relationship of the different sets of variables. Rauch and Evans (2000) wanted to
find out what helps government bureaucracies in developing countries achieve effectiveness and increase economic performance.
Using multiple variables such as corruption, bureaucratic quality and bureaucratic delay, they controlled the country income,
linguistic diversity, and level of education in order to determine the development level of the 35 countries surveyed. After running
the statistical tests, they saw a relationship between the main variables – the quality and bureaucrats and bureaucratic career
security in the government greatly improved and efficiency and economic performance in the country.
Measuring Variables
Variables can be classified according to the data they contain. They can be grouped as either categorical variables o
numerical variables. Categorical variables or qualitative variables are those are those that may be classified into categories or may
be placed by rank orders. Numerical variables or quantitative variables have numerical values or measures. Variables may be further
classified into four level of measurements. Categorical variables can be grouped into nominal and ordinal variables. Numerical
variables can be grouped into interval and ratio variables. A summary of this taxonomy can be seen in Figure1.2 below.

Nominal Variables
Nominal variables enable the classification of individuals, objects, or responses based on the common property or
characteristic. Nominal measures are limited to descriptive categories. Although you can count the frequencies or occurrence of
these categories, nominal measures cannot be ranked. A variable measured on a nominal scale may have two or more
subcategories depending the extent of the variation.
Examples: Gender (male or female) College Major (English, Political Science, Mathematics, etc.); religion (Catholic, Muslim,
Sikh)
Ordinal Variables
Ordinal variables have all the characteristics of a nominal variable but ranked in a certain order. The relative position of one
case is known.
Examples: Social class (upper, middle, low); Competition results such as election results (first, second, third); Typhoon signal
number (1, 2, 3, 4)
Interval Variables
Interval variables are a type of numerical variable. An interval measure describes a variable whose attribute are rank-order
and have equal distances between adjacent attributes. When comparing two interval variables, we say that they differ from each
other and that one is more than the other. Interval variables are those that do not have a “true zero” value, since zero does not
actually represent none or nothing.
Examples: Fahrenheit temperature scale (the difference between 70 and 80 degrees is the same as 30 and 40 degrees; but 0
degree does not mean no temperature); Standard intelligence test score (IQ score): Age
Ratio Variables
Ratio variables have the characteristics of nominal, ordinal, and interval measures. They are based on a fixe starting point or
a “true zero point” (Kumar 1996; Babbie 2010). The value of zero represents none or nothing.
Examples: Annual Family Income in Thousands of Pesos (PHP 1200, PHP 2750, PHP 5644); Number of students per
classroom (38, 47, 54); Voter turnout per presidential election (38,162,985, 33,510,092, 27, 782,735).

USES OF VARIABLES IN QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

Classifying
Variables play a principal role in descriptive research. Through variables, we describe the phenomenon or population we
are studying. For example, you are interested in studying the academic performance of high school students in your school. Since
outcomes can be affected by a number of factors, you could classify the student body according to demographic information –
gender, age, educational level, and economic background. By classifying your data, you are providing all the necessary details that
may be critical to your argument and study.
Measuring
Variable allow us to measure the frequency, magnitude, and impact among others of a particular subject or concept. For
instance, human development can be empirically measured. Through the conceptualization and operationalization of human
development studies, organizations develop an index that measure different indicators of human development, significantly
contributing to practical and theoretical applications.
Explaining
Variables allow one to identify the meaning, purpose, and use of social phenomena (Babbie 2010). For example, you are
studying factors that possibly trigger an increase in immigrants in particular country. By assigning values to the certain factors or
phenomenon – such as the implementation of the immigration policies and socioeconomic circumstances – you can see which
situations led to an increase in immigrants. By identifying particular variables and choosing appropriate indicators, you can explain a
particular phenomenon.
Assessing Relationship
Quantitative research test theories through assessing the relationships between variables. Variables are critical elements of
the relationship between subjects and phenomenon you are investigating. Through hypothesis testing, we can examine which
variables are related to one another. For example, you are specifically looking at the effect of educational investment on economic
returns. You can test two variables: first, the Philippine budget allotment for state universities and colleges (education investment)
as the independent variable; second annual family income (economic return) as the dependent variable. Through hypothesis you can
assess whether human development theory is applicable to the content of the Philippines.