When testing the effect of noise on the performance of a task, Marco tests half the participants in a cool, quiet room and the other half in a hot, noisy room. In this case, what confounding variable has Marco failed to eliminate?
A)Task performance
B)Noise level
C)Gender of participants
D)Room temperature

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Marco has failed to eliminate the confounding variable of room temperature. Since half the participants were tested in a cool room and the other half in a hot room, any differences in performance between the two groups could be due to the temperature difference rather than the noise level. To eliminate this confounding variable, all participants should be tested in the same temperature conditions.

When Testing the Effect of Noise on the Performance of a Task