Variable Description Example Why a potential

extraneous or
confounding variable
Individual participant variable that memory ability, Potential Extraneous
differences influences results in motivation, mood, variable because
unwanted way such as gender, ethnicity variables other than
gender, age, the IV such as age,
intelligence, gender etc can
personality, memory, influence the results
mood.

Refers to the unique

combination of
personal
characterises, abilities
and backgrounds a
participant brings to
an experiment.
Non-standardised Inconsistent Single-blind Extraneous as the
instructions and instruction and procedure is where single-bind procedure
procedures procedures used by participants can help control
the researched impact do not know
on how participants whether they are in
respond, and an experimental or
therefore on the control group
results
1 group given verbal
instructions other
must read the
instructions
Order effect Is a participant Repeating the same Confounding variable
repeats the same test driving course makes
multiple times, they the participants make
may learn to improve them familiar with the
or expect, which can course
effect DV in an Practise, boredom,
unwanted way fatigue
Experimenter effect Refers to changes in Experimenter’s Potential extraneous
participants attuite: hostile, as the attitude of the
‘behaviour that are warming, need for experimenter can be
caused by the approval controlled by making
unintentional experimenter act a
influence of an certain way which
experimenter, rather doesn’t affect the DV
than the effect of the
IV.

Placebo effect Changes in behaviour Fake pill or injection Confounding effects

caused by the belief
that one is receiving
some kind of
experimental
treatment