Difference between extraneous and confounding variables?

I understand the definition etc, but cannot draw examples of both..? And I can't seem to find anything in the book that helps either!!

And are Participant Reactivity & Investigator Effects seperate from extraneous and confounding variables.. HELP!! :confused:

Reply 1

shewantstobeme

extraneous variables are things like sound. if you're trying to do a study where participants are asked to recall information, sound is an extranous variable which could alter their recall. Another extraneous variable could be some participants already knowing about the subject they are being asked to recall.

Confounding variables are obviously more harsh. They could be using participants from two different pools. If you had a spelling test, it would be a counfounding variable to use participants who have an english degree in one group, and using participants who don't in another group.
Something like that. I know what you mean about things being hard to put into words!

Participant reactivity isn't really an extraneous variable, but at the same time it is similar to an extraneous variable. And you can't control it, but at the same time there will always be some participant reactivity, whether that be conformity, not being honest, etc. You might have to ask your teacher on that one :-S

hope i was a bit of help!

Reply 2

shewantstobeme

thanks for the rep! glad i could be of help! psychological term's are so wierd sometimes! hehe :smile:

Reply 3

Opalfire

This explains it pretty well; http://web.umr.edu/~psyworld/extraneous.htm

Reply 4

Ghetto_Princess12

An extraneous variable is a variable that MAY compete with the independent variable in explaining the outcome of a study. A confounding variable is a variable that DOES cause a problem because it is empirically related to both the independent and dependent variable. A confounding variable is a type of extraneous variable.

Reply 5

hussaini

its a good exolanation and quit clear!

Reply 6

Osiris Wintereisse

Original post by DeSiFiEd

Not all extraneous variables are not necessarily confounding variables - it is really important in understanding those factors that pose a threat to the internal validity of your study. After all, of the many hundreds or thousands of extraneous variables that relate to your study, only a very small number may act as confounding variables.