What would be the independent variable and what would be the dependent variable in this situation?

I am doing psychology research on the correlation between the amount of sexual content exposure watched by adolescents (ages 12-19) and if that can predict teen pregnancy or cause adolescents to engage in sexual activity at a younger age. The study was conducted via telephone by researchers and was then conducted once again three years later to assess changes in sexual behavior. I am a little confused as to what would be the independent variable and what would be the dependent variable in this study. Please help? Thank you!|||The independent variable is going to be what you are saying will cause or lead to a change in another variable (which is the dependent). The independent in layman's terms stands alone and is what you are saying influences something else.



So, for example, what is the research saying? It is saying that sexual content exposure may have an influence on teen pregnany or engaging in sexual activity at a younger age. So the sexual content exposure is the independent variable. And the dependent variable would be the adolescents' sexual behaviors, because that is what we are saying is being influenced by the sexual content exposure.



Here is another example



The more education one has, the higher their income. Education is hypothesized to have an influence on income, therefore, education is the independent variable and income is the dependent variable.