Social Research Glossary A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Home
Citation reference: Harvey, L., 2012-24, Social Research Glossary, Quality Research International, http://www.qualityresearchinternational.com/socialresearch/
This is a dynamic glossary and the author would welcome any e-mail suggestions for additions or amendments.
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Confounded variable
Two variables are said to be confounded if they vary with each other in a systematic way so that it is difficult to tell which of the two is affecting some third variable.
For example, height and weight are larely confounded. There would not be many tall lightweights or short heavyweights and this would make it difficult to sort out their effects unequivocally on a third variable such as boxing ability.
see QRT
Colorado State University (1993–2013) defines confounding variable as:
An unforeseen, and unaccounted-for variable that jeopardizes reliability and validity of an experiment's outcome.
Confounding factor (confounder): A confounder can distort the true relationship between two (or more) characteristics. When it isn't taken into account, false conclusions can be drawn about associations. An example is to conclude that if people who carry a lighter are more likely to develop lung cancer, it's because carrying a lighter causes lung cancer. In fact, smoking is a confounder here. People who carry a lighter are more likely to be smokers, and smokers are more likely to develop lung cancer.
See also
NHS, undated,
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