I will start with the independent variable. The independent variable in an experiment is the variable the experimenter has control over. For example, if you are testing the effect of amounts of water on plant growth, the independent variable is the amount of water since that is was the experimenter is controlling. In the experiment you are referring to, the independent variable is the presence of the loud cymbal noises, since this is what the experimenter is controlling. Another way to think about the independent variable is to think about what is different between the experimental and control group. In this experiment, the only thing that was different was the presence of the loud noises, making that the independent variable.
The dependent variable in an experiment is the variable that is being measured and cannot be controlled. In the plant example, the amount of plant growth is being measured and cannot be controlled by the experimenter. In the experiment above, the dependent variable is how afraid the children are of fuzzy things because this is being measured and cannot be controlled by the experimenter. Another way to think about the dependent variable is to remember that the dependent variable 'depends on' the independent variable. For example, the amount of plant growth depends on the amount of water, and how afraid the children are depends on the presence of loud noises.
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