A researcher has observed that children who eat more sugar tend to show a higher level of activity than children who eat less sugar.However,the researcher suspects that the apparent relationship may be explained by the fact that some children have a higher rate of metabolism,which causes them to eat more and to be more active compared to children with a lower rate of metabolism who eat less and are less active.This is an example of the ____.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The third-variable problem arises when a correlational study suggests a relationship between two variables, but a third variable (in this case, metabolism) may explain the relationship. Therefore, the researcher cannot conclude that sugar intake causes higher activity levels without controlling for the effects of metabolism.

A Researcher Has Observed That Children Who Eat More Sugar