2. compare and contrast the independent and dependent variables in an experiment. give an example of each.

In experimental psychology distinguish two kinds of variables:  

An INDEPENDENT variable is a factor that is controlled by the authors of the study. For example, in an experiment to study the effect of lack of sleep on performance, sleep deprivation is an independent variable.  

A DEPENDENT variable is a phenomenon that experimenters fix and measure. For example, the performance test results are just a dependent variable.

the earthquake in haiti was a magnitude of 7.0 according to the u.s geological survey yet the smaller earthquake in haiti killed more than 200,000 and left more than 1.2 million people homeless. the chile earthquake was a magnitude of 8.8 and 500 times more stronger but chile's earthquake only injured 712 people.