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Study Bias and Confounding Variables

The document discusses several studies and surveys that have potential issues or biases: 1) A study on the effects of deep breathing exercises on blood pressure had a confounding variable of aerobic exercises, making it impossible to attribute the lower blood pressure solely to deep breathing. 2) A study linking coffee to poor health failed to control for other lifestyle factors that influence both coffee drinking and health outcomes. 3) A survey asking about satisfaction with campus security could be biased due to voluntary responses mainly coming from those with a personal connection to security. 4) A survey question priming respondents with a fear of economic collapse could bias answers about national issues.

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John Vergel Pensilga
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85 views2 pages

Study Bias and Confounding Variables

The document discusses several studies and surveys that have potential issues or biases: 1) A study on the effects of deep breathing exercises on blood pressure had a confounding variable of aerobic exercises, making it impossible to attribute the lower blood pressure solely to deep breathing. 2) A study linking coffee to poor health failed to control for other lifestyle factors that influence both coffee drinking and health outcomes. 3) A survey asking about satisfaction with campus security could be biased due to voluntary responses mainly coming from those with a personal connection to security. 4) A survey question priming respondents with a fear of economic collapse could bias answers about national issues.

Uploaded by

John Vergel Pensilga
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Section 1.

4: Homework
1.) Suppose there is a study where a researcher conducts an experiment to show that
deep breathing exercises helps to lower blood pressure. The researcher takes two
groups of people and has one group to perform deep breathing exercises and a
series of aerobic exercises every day and the other group was asked to refrain
from any exercises. The researcher found that the group performing the deep
breathing exercises and the aerobic exercises had lower blood pressure. Discuss
any issue with this study. Experiment appears to have a confounding variable, which is the
aerobics exercise. Seeing as one side performed neither aerobic exercises or deep breathing
exercises, it is impossible to know whether the lower blood pressure was caused by the aerobics
or deep breathing.
3.) Over the years it has been said that coffee is bad for you. When looking at the
studies that have shown that coffee is linked to poor health, you will see that
people who tend to drink coffee don’t sleep much, tend to smoke, don’t eat
healthy, and tend to not exercise. Can you say that the coffee is the reason for the
poor health or is there a lurking variable that is the actual cause? Explain.
One cannot say coffee is the reason because all the tendencies listed are all related and may be
the thing that is in fact what is causing people to drink more coffee. Thus we must sum it up to
an unknown lurking variable.
5.) There is a positive correlation between having a discussion of gun control, which
usually occur after a mass shooting, and the sale of guns. Does that mean that the
discussion of gun control increases the likelihood that people will buy more guns?
Explain.
Since discussions of gun control only usually happen after a mass shooting, one cannot tie the
spike in gun sales to the discussion of gun control alone but also to the mass shootings.

7.) A study was conducted that shows that polytetrafluoroethylene (PFOA) (Teflon is
made from this chemical) has an increase risk of tumors in lab mice. Does that
mean that PFOA’s have an increased risk of tumors in humans? Explain.

This study source was downloaded by 100000833319154 from CourseHero.com on 05-15-2022 01:36:10 GMT -05:00

https://www.coursehero.com/file/75255433/Homework-14docx/
Without testing on humans as well this would become a case of overgeneralization. On cannot
say for sure without also testing human patients with the same levels of exposure to
polytetrafluoroethylene as the rats.

13.) A survey was conducted at a college asking all employees if they were satisfied
with the level of security provided by the security department. Discuss how the
results of this question could be biased.
Seeing as this a is a case of voluntary response one cannot know that all of those involved
answered. Most likely only those employees that cared to reply or had some personal connection
to the security department responded to the survey.
15.) A survey has a question that says, “Most people are afraid that they will lose their
house due to economic collapse. Choose what you think is the biggest issue
facing the nation today. a) Economic collapse, b) Foreign policy issues, c)
Environmental concerns.” Discuss how this question could create bias.
Economic Collapse, Seeing this a case of cause and effect one cannot know what the cause is
that is making people to be afraid.

This study source was downloaded by 100000833319154 from CourseHero.com on 05-15-2022 01:36:10 GMT -05:00

https://www.coursehero.com/file/75255433/Homework-14docx/
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