A predictor variable is the variable that researchers believe has some sort of association with an outcome variable. Within applied statistics and research, this may be an etiological, demographic, prognostic, or clinical variable. Predictor variables can be measured at a categorical, ordinal, or continuous scale of measurement.
The important thing to remember is that the predictor variable is the variable that researchers control in the study. There is an outcome that exists, and they want to see if the predictor variable is associated with the outcome (observational research designs) or potentially CAUSES it (experimental research designs).
The important thing to remember is that the predictor variable is the variable that researchers control in the study. There is an outcome that exists, and they want to see if the predictor variable is associated with the outcome (observational research designs) or potentially CAUSES it (experimental research designs).