Confounding Variables are extraneous variables that unintentionally influence the outcome of an experiment or intervention, making it difficult to determine the true cause of observed behaviorBehavior refers to any activity or action that living organ... changes. These variables interfere with the ability to draw clear conclusions about the relationship between the independent variable (intervention) and the dependent variable (behavior) because they create alternative explanations for the results.
Example:
A behavior analyst is testing the effectiveness of a token economy to improve classroom participation. However, during the study, a new teacher is introduced to the class, and students may behave differently due to the teacher’s presence. In this case, the new teacher is a confounding variable because it could influence participation levels, making it unclear whether changes in behavior are due to the token economy or the new teacher.