Question

Describe the defining characteristics of a confounder and provide an example (do NOT use an example mentioned in class).

Answer 1

Answer: Confounder variables is a method also known as a third variable or a mediator variable, influences both the independent variable and dependent variable. Being unaware of or failing to control for confounding variables may cause the researcher to analyze the results incorrectly. A confounding variable would be any other influence that has an effect on weight gain. Amount of food consumption is a confounding variable, a placebo is a confounding variable, or weather could be a confounding variable. Each may change the effect of the experiment design.

For example:

Suppose there is a thing that correlation between the murder and ice-cream, as the murder rate rises so does the sale of ice-cream. One assumption for this could be that murderers cause people to buy ice-cream. This is highly unlikely. A second thought is that purchasing ice-cream causes people to commit murder, also highly unlikely. Then there is a third variable which includes a confounding variable. It is distinctly possible that the weather causes the correlation. While the weather is icy cold, fewer people are out interacting with others and less likely to purchase ice-cream