A Level Psychology OCR Practice Exam

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What does the dependent variable (DV) measure in this study?

Participant’s self-reported aggression levels
Relative glucose levels in various brain regions
Completion time of the Continuous Performance Task
Number of errors made during testing

The correct answer is: Relative glucose levels in various brain regions

The dependent variable (DV) in a study is the outcome that researchers measure to assess the effects of the independent variable (IV). In this context, the dependent variable measures the outcome that is expected to change due to variations in the independent variable. When evaluating brain activity or functions, relative glucose levels in various brain regions are often measured. This can illustrate changes in brain metabolism associated with different tasks or conditions in the study. Focusing on this point, measuring glucose levels provides insights into neural activity, as active brain regions consume more glucose. This is crucial in studies examining the effects of aggression or cognitive tasks on brain function, thereby highlighting the relationship between psychological variables and biological responses. While self-reported aggression levels, completion time of a task, and errors made during testing could all serve as measures in other contexts, they do not directly reflect the biological processes relevant to this specific inquiry about brain activity.