In research methods used in sociology, the independent variable is always the outcome being measured.

In sociology, the independent variable is not the outcome being measured; it is the factor that researchers change or control to see how it affects something else. The outcome being measured is called the dependent variable. For example, if a researcher studies how studying time affects test scores, the amount of time spent studying is the independent variable, while the test scores are the dependent variable. Researchers want to see if changing the studying time leads to different test results. This helps them understand the relationship between these two variables.