What does the term 'confounding variable' mean?
Confounding variable: A variable that is not included in an experiment, yet affects the relationship between the two variables in an experiment. This type of variable can confound the results of an experiment and lead to unreliable findings.
What are some examples of dependent variables in psychology?
These variables could include:
- Familiarity with the car: Some people may drive better because they have driven this make of car before.
- Familiarity with the test: Some people may do better than others because they know what to expect on the test.
- Used to drinking. The effects of alcohol on some people may be less than on others because they are used to drinking.
- Full stomach. ...
Is Placebo a confounding variable?
There are a few ways that statistics can be confounded - these are the placebo effect, confounding variables, and lack of blinding. The placebo effect is an effect that occurs from a fake treatment because the individual believes that the effect should occur.
What does extraneous variable mean in psychology?
Types of Extraneous Variables
- Situational Variables. These are aspects of the environment that could affect the way an individual behaves in an experiment.
- Experimenter Bias. This refers to ways in which the experimenter may accidently bias the way that individuals behave in an experiment.
- Demand Characteristics. ...
- Participant Variables. ...
What are confounding variables in psychology example?
Confounding variables are factors other than the independent variable that may cause a result. In your caffeine study, for example, it is possible that the students who received caffeine also had more sleep than the control group. Or, the experimental group may have spent more time overall preparing for the exam.
What is a confounding variable simply psychology?
The researcher wants to make sure that it is the manipulation of the independent variable that has an effect on the dependent variable. Hence, all the other variables that could affect the dependent variable to change must be controlled. These other variables are called extraneous or confounding variables.
What is a confounding variable in an experiment?
A confounding variable (confounder) is a factor other than the one being studied that is associated both with the disease (dependent variable) and with the factor being studied (independent variable). A confounding variable may distort or mask the effects of another variable on the disease in question.
What is confounding in psychology?
confound. n. in an experiment, an independent variable that is conceptually distinct but empirically inseparable from one or more other independent variables. Confounding makes it impossible to differentiate that variable's effects in isolation from its effects in conjunction with other variables.
How do you identify a confounding variable?
Identifying Confounding In other words, compute the measure of association both before and after adjusting for a potential confounding factor. If the difference between the two measures of association is 10% or more, then confounding was present. If it is less than 10%, then there was little, if any, confounding.
What is a confounding variable psychology quizlet?
Confounding Variable. A type of extraneous variable that systematically affects one or more levels of the IV differently.
Which of the following best describes a confounding variable?
Which of the following best describes a confounding variable? A variable that affects the outcome being measured as well as, or instead of, the independent variable.
What are types of confounding variables?
Here are some confounding variables that you need to be looking out for in experiments:Order Effects.Participant variability.Social desirability effect.Hawthorne effect.Demand characteristics.Evaluation apprehension.
Why is age a confounding variable?
Age is a confounding factor because it is associated with the exposure (meaning that older people are more likely to be inactive), and it is also associated with the outcome (because older people are at greater risk of developing heart disease).
Is gender a confounding variable?
Hence, due to the relation between age and gender, stratification by age resulted in an uneven distribution of gender among the exposure groups within age strata. As a result, gender is likely to be considered a confounding variable within strata of young and old subjects.
What does confounding mean in research?
What is confounding? Confounding is often referred to as a “mixing of effects”1,2 wherein the effects of the exposure under study on a given outcome are mixed in with the effects of an additional factor (or set of factors) resulting in a distortion of the true relationship.
What is meant by confounding?
Confounding means the distortion of the association between the independent and dependent variables because a third variable is independently associated with both. A causal relationship between two variables is often described as the way in which the independent variable affects the dependent variable.
Is gender a confounding variable?
Hence, due to the relation between age and gender, stratification by age resulted in an uneven distribution of gender among the exposure groups within age strata. As a result, gender is likely to be considered a confounding variable within strata of young and old subjects.
What is the difference between confounding and extraneous variables?
An extraneous variable is any variable that you're not investigating that can potentially affect the dependent variable of your research study. A confounding variable is a type of extraneous variable that not only affects the dependent variable, but is also related to the independent variable.
What is a confounding variable?
A confounding variable , also called a confounder or confounding factor, is a third variable in a study examining a potential cause-and-effect r...
What is the difference between confounding variables, independent variables and dependent variables?
A confounding variable is closely related to both the independent and dependent variables in a study. An independent variable represents the su...
What’s the difference between extraneous and confounding variables?
An extraneous variable is any variable that you’re not investigating that can potentially affect the dependent variable of your research study....
Why do confounding variables matter for my research?
To ensure the internal validity of your research, you must consider the impact of confounding variables. If you fail to account for them, you mig...
How do I prevent confounding variables from interfering with my research?
There are several methods you can use to decrease the impact of confounding variables on your research: restriction, matching, statistical contro...
How do psychologists prevent confounding variables?
While confounding variables, experimenter bias, and demand characteristics can affect the results of an experiment, psychologists work actively to prevent them so that the study can be replicated and the results can be valid. Random assignment and single- and double-blind procedures all help to reduce confounds in an experiment.
What Are Confounds?
Confounding variables are factors other than the independent variable that may cause a result. In your caffeine study, for example, it is possible that the students who received caffeine also had more sleep than the control group. Or, the experimental group may have spent more time overall preparing for the exam. Those factors - sleep and extra preparation - could also create a result that has nothing to do with the caffeine. You cannot be sure that the caffeine caused your result instead of the confounding variables. One way to avoid this type of confound is to randomly assign people to the study.
How does experimenter bias affect the results of a study?
Experimenter bias happens when the experimenter's expectations influence the outcomes of the study. Because you believe that caffeine will help students score higher on a test, you may unintentionally assist the students receiving the caffeine more than the control group when they have questions while taking the test. Your bias could influence the results of the study.
How does double blinding affect the experiment?
Double-blind studies reduce the confound of experimenter bias. In a double-blind study, neither the subjects nor the experimenter know who is in the control group or the experimental group. Double-blind studies reduce the possibility that the experimenter will influence the results of the study by unintentionally leading subjects in the experimental group towards the expected outcome. A double-blind procedure can happen when a neutral third-party who does not know the hypothesis of the experiment proctors the study.
Why do psychologists develop experiments?
You decide to develop an experiment to find out. Many research psychologists develop experiments to study human behavior. Experimental design allows psychologists to manipulate a variable and determine how that variable affects behavior. The independent variable is the part of the experiment that is manipulated.
What is dependent variable?
The dependent variable is what happens as a result of manipulating the independent variable. You decide to make half the class the experimental group and give them caffeine before the next test to determine if the caffeine helps them score higher.
What does it mean when you get your psychology test back?
During one of your psychology exams, you notice that you feel unusually energized and engaged during the test. When you get your test score back, you are pleased to discover you have scored higher than on any other psychology test you have taken. You start to think about possible causes for your burst of energy, ...
What is a confounding variable?
A somewhat formal definition of a confounding variable is “an extraneous variable in an experimental design that correlates with both the dependent and independent variables”. This is a terrible definition, full of words and phrases that mean nothing to 99% of the population. So, let’s start with a classic concrete example.
What is the third variable problem?
You may also recognize this as the so-called third variable problem, which refers to the fact that any time we observe a relationship among two variables, there’s always the possibility that some third variable which we don’t know about is responsible for (“confounding”) the relationship .
Which condition does the ball travel further in?
After you run your experiment, you observe that the ball travels further in Condition 2 than it does in Condition 1. In other words, you find that the less force you apply, the further the ball travels.
What is a confounding variable?
Confounding variables (a.k.a. confounders or confounding factors) are a type of extraneous variable that are related to a study’s independent and dependent variables. A variable must meet two conditions to be a confounder:
What is the purpose of confounding variables in research?
To ensure the internal validity of your research, you must account for confounding variables. If you fail to do so, your results may not reflect the actual relationship between the variables that you are interested in..
What is the difference between an independent and a confounding variable?
An independent variable represents the supposed cause, while the dependent variable is the supposed effect. A confounding variable is a third variable that influences both the independent and dependent variables. Failing to account for confounding variables can cause you to wrongly estimate the relationship between your independent ...
What is the effect of a potential confounding variable on the dependent variable?
Any effect that the potential confounding variable has on the dependent variable will show up in the results of the regression and allow you to separate the impact of the independent variable. Statistical control example.
How to minimize the impact of confounding variables?
Randomization. Another way to minimize the impact of confounding variables is to randomize the values of your independent variable. For instance, if some of your participants are assigned to a treatment group while others are in a control group, you can randomly assign participants to each group.
What is an extraneous variable?
An extraneous variable is any variable that you’re not investigating that can potentially affect the dependent variable of your research study. A confounding variable is a type of extraneous variable that not only affects the dependent variable, but is also related to the independent variable.
Why is it important to consider potential confounding variables and account for them in your research design?
It’s important to consider potential confounding variables and account for them in your research design to ensure your results are valid.
What is a confounding variable?
The confounding variable is an independent variable that shares a causal relationship with the dependent variable. It also has a correlation with the independent variable of the study.
Why do Confounding Variables Matter?
Confounding variables are important because they can damage the validity of a study. If researchers notice a correlation between two variables but do not recognize one as a confound, they may come to the false conclusion that they have a causal relationship. This comes at the risk of devaluing the results of their research. The validity of research findings directly affects the value that they have in real life. If the methods of a study do not account for a confound, the findings may not reflect the truth of the scenario. This reduces the transferability of findings to everyday scenarios, where they are often utilized.
What is the difference between a confounding variable and an extraneous variable?
A confounding variable is a type of extraneous variable that is correlated with the independent variable, making it difficult to recognize. What makes it a confound is that both this and the independent variable in question are caused by the dependent variable. Without context, it can appear as though there is a causal relationship between the independent variable and the cofound, which may or may not exist.
How to reduce confounding variables?
The most effective way to reduce the effects of confounding variables is to exercise critical thought. When a researcher discovers a correlation between two variables, they must always remember that correlation does not equal causation. Simply because two variables coincide with one another does not mean that one variable has a direct effect on the other. This kind of intellectual vigilance can help to reduce the frequency, and therefore the effect of Confounding Variables.
What happens if a researcher fails to recognize a confounding variable?
A psychological researcher failing to recognize a confounding variable could come to false conclusions. This could potentially lead to health practices that are maladaptive or that don't target the actual variable. This can lead to a waste of resources and time, as well as increase risks to patients if the false results lead to ineffective medical practices .
What is the confounding effect of statistics?
Similarly, in statistics, a confound increases the risk of acquiring false information and coming to false conclusions. Since statistics are used broadly by companies, corporations, governments, and everyday people, false information can cause serious problems, ranging from overstocked supply chains to a sudden shortage of crucial resources.
Why is it so difficult to determine the cause of an experiment?
Confounding variables can make it difficult to determine the true cause of the results of an experiment, as they correlate with the variable that is being measured.
How to avoid confounding variables?
To avoid confounding variables you want to make sure all conditions of your experiment are equal. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
What is the difference between a confounding variable and an extraneous variable?
The terms “confounding variable” and “extraneous variable” are used interchangeably. Technically speaking, an extraneous variable is any variable that could affect the results, whereas “Confounding occurs when the influence of extraneous variables on the DVs cannot be separated and measured ,” (Street et al. 1995)
What to do when explaining IB Psych IA?
IB Psych IA Tips: When explaining your Design in the IB Psych IA, try to identify one or more extraneous variables you’re controlling for.
What is counterbalancing in statistics?
Counterbalancing is one way of controlling for order effects. Counterbalancing is when repeated measures is used but half the group do Condition A then Condition B and the other half do it in the opposite order. Using an independent samples design also controls for order effects.
What do psychologists need to balance when designing experiments?
Psychologists must balance validity, practicality and ethicality when designing experiments.
What are the effects of repeated measures?
ORDER EFFECTS: In repeated measures experiments one must be careful of order effects. Sometimes the order in which a participant does a task may alter the results. For instance, they may get better with practice and this could disrupt the results, or they remember something from the first condition that may alter their results.
What is evaluation apprehension?
EVALUATION APPREHENSION might occur when participants are anxious about being evaluated on a particular task or skill (sometimes called the spotlight effect). This might change their behaviour. Think about your oral assignments in some of your subjects, for instance. If you weren’t being graded you might be OK talking in front of your class but as soon as your teacher gets out their big red pen and beings giving you a grade on your work you’re likely to become nervous and this will affect your performance. People are often nervous about being in an “experiment” because the word might conjure many scary thoughts.
What is a confounding variable?
Confounding variable: A variable that is not included in an experiment, yet affects the relationship between the two variables in an experiment. This type of variable can confound the results of an experiment and lead to unreliable findings. For example, suppose a researcher collects data on ice cream sales and shark attacks and finds ...
Why Are Confounding Variables Problematic?
1. Confounding variables can make it seem that cause-and-effect relationships exist when they don’t.
How does confounding affect the validity of a study?
In technical terms, confounding variables affect the internal validity of a study, which refers to how valid it is to attribute any changes in the dependent variable to changes in the independent variable. When confounding variables are present, we can’t always say with complete confidence that the changes we observe in ...
What is the independent variable of a diet?
The independent variable is the new diet and the dependent variable is the amount of weight loss. However, a confounding variable that will likely cause variation in weight loss is gender. It’s likely that the gender of an individual will effect the amount of weight they’ll lose, regardless of whether the new diet works or not.
What are the two main variables in an experiment?
In any experiment, there are two main variables: The independent variable: the variable that an experimenter changes or controls so that they can observe the effects on the dependent variable. The dependent variable: the variable being measured in an experiment that is “dependent” on the independent variable. ...
What is the practice of dividing individuals in a study into “blocks” based on some value of?
2. Blocking . Blocking refers to the practice of dividing individuals in a study into “blocks” based on some value of a confounding variable to eliminate the effect of the confounding variable. For example, suppose researchers want to understand the effect that a new diet has on weight less.
What is random assignment?
Random assignment refers to the process of randomly assigning individuals in a study to either a treatment group or a control group. For example, suppose we want to study the effect of a new pill on blood pressure.
What is Confounding?
Confounding is a distortion (inaccuracy) in the estimated measure of association that occurs when the primary exposure of interest is mixed up with some other factor that is associated with the outcome . In the diagram below, the primary goal is to ascertain the strength of association between physical inactivity and heart disease. Age is a confounding factor because it is associated with the exposure (meaning that older people are more likely to be inactive), and it is also associated with the outcome (because older people are at greater risk of developing heart disease).
Why is age a confounding factor?
Age is a confounding factor because it is associated with the exposure (meaning that older people are more likely to be inactive), and it is also associated with the outcome (because older people are at greater risk of developing heart disease).
Is there a lot of potential for confounding?
Most health problems have many determinants ("risk factors"), so it is not surprising that there is a lot of potential for confounding. While this can represent a barrier to testing a particular hypothesis, it is also an opportunity to dissect the many determinants and to define their relative importance.
Does age cause confounding?
Or, if the age distribution is similar in the exposure groups being compared, then age will not cause confounding.
Is fluid intake a confounding factor?
For example, subjects who are physically active may drink more fluids (e.g., water and sports drinks) than inactive people, but drinking more fluid has no effect on the risk of heart disease, so fluid intake is not a confounding factor here.
