confounders
/kənˈfaʊndərz/
noun
- Factors or variables that confuse or distort the relationship between cause and effect in a study or situation.
- The scientist identified several confounders that might affect the results of the experiment.
- When analyzing the data, the team had to control for confounders like income and education level.
- In medical research, age and lifestyle can act as confounders when studying the effects of a new drug.