Identifying Confounds

A researcher conducts a study to compare the effectiveness of different treatments for

generalized anxiety disorder. Each participant receives behavioral therapy for two months, then
cognitive therapy for two months, and finally cognitive-behavioral therapy for two months. At
the end of each two-month period, a different therapist rates each participant’s levels of
generalized anxiety disorder. The results showed that cognitive-behavioral therapy was the most
effective, followed by cognitive therapy, followed by behavioral therapy.

1. What is the independent variable?

a. The participants’ anxiety disorders treatment.

2. What is the dependent variable?

a. The time of the therapies

3. What is the confound?

a. Participants' anxiety level was effective when they received both therapies at the
same time.

4. How could the confound be fixed?

a. Just offered the cognitive and behavior therapies separated.

A researcher conducts a study to determine whether smiling affects students’ interest in the
course material. In her 8am Physiological Psychology course, she never smiles while teaching.
In her 9am Physiological Psychology course, she smiles often while teaching. At the end of the
semester, she gives students a questionnaire to assess the extent to which students liked the
course material. The results showed that the 9am class liked the course material more than the
8am class.

5. What is the independent variable?

a. Smile in 8 am class, and do not smile in the 9 am class.

6. What is the dependent variable?

a. The class time

7. What is the confound?

a. The 9 am class probably had more energy than the 8 am class.

8. How could the confound be fixed?

a. Make the experiment with two classes from the same hour.

A researcher is interested in the effects of cocaine on learning. A group of rats is randomly

assigned to receive either cocaine or a non-harmful saline solution. The rats are taught how to
run a maze. The cocaine rats need to be reared away from the control group rats, so they are
handled and taught by one experimenter, and the control group rats are handled and taught by
another experimenter. The results showed that the control group rats learned how to run the
maze more quickly than the cocaine rats.

9. What is the independent variable?

a. The substances provided to the rats.

10. What is the dependent variable?

a. How long they took to learned.

11. What is the confound?

a. The effects of the non-saline solution.

12. How could the confound be fixed?

a. If the another group of rats should not received any substance.