In statistics, the response variable is the variable that is being studied and measured, and it is also known as the dependent variable. It is the variable that changes as a result of the manipulation or observation of the explanatory variable, which is also known as the independent variable. The response variable is the one that researchers are asking a specific question about, and it is the expected effect that responds to other variables. In linear regression, for example, the response variable is plotted on the y-axis and the explanatory variable is plotted on the x-axis. The response variable can be affected by many different factors, known as explanatory variables.