Independence refers to the concept of individuals being able to make decisions and take actions without undue influence or control from others. In research, independence typically refers to the independence of variables in a study, meaning that the variables being measured or manipulated are not influenced by each other. This is important in order to accurately assess the relationships between variables and draw valid conclusions from the data. Researchers strive to design studies that maintain independence between variables in order to ensure the reliability and validity of their findings.