Distinguish between a confound and an artifact. Give an example of each.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Answer is A confound is a variable that is not of interest to the researcher but can affect the results of the study. It is a variable that is related to both the independent and dependent variables, making it difficult to determine the true cause of any observed effects. For example, if a researcher is studying the effects of a new medication on anxiety levels, but the participants also happen to be receiving therapy at the same time, the therapy could be a confounding variable as it could also be affecting the anxiety levels.

An artifact, on the other hand, is a result of the research process itself and is not a true representation of the phenomenon being studied. It is a distortion or error in the data that can occur due to measurement or experimental procedures. For example, if a researcher is using a faulty measurement instrument to assess anxiety levels, the readings obtained may not accurately reflect the true anxiety levels of the participants, leading to an artifact in the data.

In summary, a confound is an external variable that can affect the results of a study, while an artifact is an error or distortion in the data that arises from the research process itself. Both can lead to misleading conclusions and it is important for researchers to be aware of and account for these factors in their studies.

Distinguish Between a Confound and an Artifact