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Figure 3.1.5 Confounding Variable

In the above example Activity level is the independent variable
and body mass index is the dependent variable. Age is an important
variable which will affect the activity level and body mass index. If
we are not considering the age’s effect on these factors, it becomes
a confounding variable that changes the results.
The variable in social science research can be defined in
different ways. It is also different from concept and construction,
and measurability is the main difference. Variables play an
important role in research, without variables it becomes difficult
to find relationships and predictions.

3.1.2 Attributes

Attributes are a form of variable that shows the characteristic of
an object. Variables are logical grouping of attributes. Attributes
represent some quality. An attribute can be the presence or
absence of a particular characteristic. Some data are qualitative
data with a quality characteristic or attribute that are described in ◆ Characteristics of an
terms of measurements. This category of data is called attribute object
data. A variety of techniques, including surveys, questionnaires,
interviews, and observation, can be used to measure attributes.
Demographic data like age, gender, educational attainment,
income, and ethnicity as well as psychological or behavioural
factors like personality traits, attitudes, beliefs, and habits are a
few examples of attributes that may be used in research.
Similar to that of variables, attributes can also be classified into
two based on categories as follows:

◆ Dichotomous attribute- Those attributes that possess two ◆ Two categories
categories are called dichotomous attributes. For example,
when you classify respondents based on their literacy, it can

SGOU - SLM - MCom Research Methodology 91