Question

this is what is manipulated in an experiment (what is done to the experimental group)

Explanation:

In experimental design (a concept often studied in fields like Psychology (under Social Science) or Biology (under Natural Science), the independent variable is the factor that is manipulated by the researcher. It's the variable that is changed or controlled in an experiment to test its effects on the dependent variable. For example, in a psychology experiment testing the effect of sleep deprivation (independent variable) on memory (dependent variable), the researcher manipulates the amount of sleep the experimental group gets. In a biology experiment, if testing the effect of different fertilizers (independent variable) on plant growth (dependent variable), the researcher manipulates which fertilizer (or the amount) the experimental group of plants receives. So the term for what is manipulated in an experiment (done to the experimental group) is the independent variable.

Answer:

Independent Variable