Extraneous and Confounding Variables

• How do extraneous variables affect experiments?

  They can influence the dependent variable's results
• What are extraneous variables?

  Factors other than the independent variable
• Why is "time of day" considered a confounding variable in the exercise study?

  It varies systematically with exercise and mood
• What is the main difference between extraneous and confounding variables?

  How they relate to independent and dependent variables
• How does an extraneous variable become a confounding variable in a study?

  When it correlates with both independent and dependent variables
• What are the characteristics of extraneous and confounding variables?

  • Extraneous Variables:
  • No relationship with independent variable
  • Might influence results of dependent variable
  • Confounding Variables:
  • Correlates with both independent and dependent variables
  • Distorts the relationship between them
• In the exercise and mood study, what role does "time of day" play?

  It acts as a confounding variable
• What are the common types of extraneous variables?

  • Participant Variables: Individual factors (age, gender, personality)
  • Situational Variables: Environmental factors (temperature, noise levels)
  • Investigator Variables: Researcher biases (facial expressions, instruction style)
  • Demand Characteristics: Participant behavior when observed
  • Order Effects: Task sequence affecting performance
• What is the definition of an extraneous variable?

  Any factor that could influence the dependent variable
• What is the relationship of an extraneous variable to the dependent variable?

  It might influence the results
• How does a confounding variable affect research?

  It distorts the relationship being studied
• If specific times of day correlate with both exercise frequency and mood, what type of variable is it?

  Confounding variable
• What are situational variables?

  Factors associated with the environment
• What is the relationship of a confounding variable to the independent variable?

  It correlates with the independent variable
• What are demand characteristics?

  Participants act differently when observed
• How does background music influence experiment results?

  It creates bias in memory scores
• How do confounding variables affect experimental validity?

  They blur the relationship between variables
• What strategies can researchers use to ensure experimental validity?

  • Control confounding variables
  • Match participants on prior knowledge
  • Use randomized assignment
• How could prior knowledge falsely inflate observed improvement?

  Higher knowledge students may skew results
• What are investigator variables?

  Biases introduced by researchers
• What distinguishes confounding variables from simple extraneous variables?

  • Confounding variables affect both dependent and independent variables
  • They can distort the relationship being studied
  • Simple extraneous variables do not correlate with the independent variable
• What does a confounding variable distort?

  The relationship between independent and dependent variables
• What must researchers do to account for confounding variables?

  Carefully control and account for them
• What does experimental validity mean?

  It measures what the experiment is designed to
• What are order effects?

  The sequence of tasks affects performance
• What are confounding variables?

  Variables that confuse the relationship between variables
• What are participant variables?

  Factors related to individuals in the study
• When should randomization be used in an experiment?

  When variable can't be controlled
• What is the role of independent and dependent variables in an experiment?

  Independent variables cause changes in dependent variables
• What is counterbalancing in experimental design?

  Presenting tasks in different orders
• What does standardizing procedures ensure in an experiment?

  Consistency in conducting the experiment
• What are the strategies to control extraneous and confounding variables?

  • Randomization
  • Matching
  • Counterbalancing
  • Control Groups
  • Standardizing Procedures
• What are extraneous variables?

  Variables that can affect the outcome
• What is a confounding variable?

  An extraneous factor affecting both variables
• When should matching be used in an experiment?

  When variable needs precise control
• What is the purpose of randomization in experiments?

  To assign participants randomly to groups
• What is the relationship between independent and dependent variables?

  Independent variable affects the dependent variable
• When is a control group used in an experiment?

  To compare treatment versus no treatment
• How can background music be a situational extraneous variable?

  It can affect memory scores in tasks
• Why is it important to control extraneous and confounding variables?

  To maintain experimental validity