What is another term for manipulated variable?

An independent variable that is manipulated means to achieve a particular effect or tested to determine if it is the cause of the effect.

For example, to find out if your weight depends on the amount of calories you consume, you could lower your caloric intake (calories is the manipulated variable) for a period of time and see how your weight changes in response.

Another term for a manipulated variable is an independent variable. The independent variable can be manipulated to test its impact on the dependent variable or variables. Therefore, these terms can potentially be used interchangeably.