What Is Confounded Relationship in Research

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.

What does it mean when a study is confounded?

In research that investigates a potential cause-and-effect relationship, a confounding variable is an unmeasured third variable that influences both the supposed cause and the supposed effect.

What are confounding variables examples?

For example, the use of placebos, or random assignment to groups. So you really can’t say for sure whether lack of exercise leads to weight gain. One confounding variable is how much people eat. It’s also possible that men eat more than women; this could also make sex a confounding variable.