Question

A researcher desires to study the relationship between stress and an employee's ability to perform at work. However, he finds that there is no direct relationship between the two. He also notices that presence of a supervisor in the environment is establishing a relationship between stress and employee's ability to perform. In this context, supervisor's presence is acting as a _____ variable. a. dependent b. participant c. confounding d. situational

Answer 1

Answer: C. Confounding

Explanation: Confounding variable is a variable or factor which lead us to believe that there is a correlation or relationship between a two variables, However, the observed correlation or relationship is non-existent or spurious. Confounding variables are caused by external influences the outcome of experiments.

In the scenario above, a correlation doesn't exist between stress and employees ability to work, until a confounding variable 'supervisor' came in resulting in a spurious relationship between the previously measured variables.