A researcher claims that the mean resting pulse rate of all college basketball players in the United States is less than the mean resting pulse rate of all professional basketball players in the United States. The resting pulse rates of a random sample of 115 college basketball players were measured as were the resting pulse rates of a random sample of 80 professional basketball players. The mean resting pulse rates of the two groups were compared.
An example of a lurking variable that might affect the results of this study is
A) the team each player is from.
B) the location the study was administered.
C) whether or not the players had scholarships in college.
D) the age of the players.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The age of the players could potentially affect their resting pulse rate, as older players may have higher resting pulse rates. If the two groups have significantly different age distributions, this could confound the results of the study.

A Researcher Claims That the Mean Resting Pulse Rate of All