The belief that sugar causes hyperactivity is the most popular example of how people believe that food influences behavior.
a. Many parents, witnessing the aftermath of cake and ice cream at birthday parties, attest to the relationship between sugar and hyperactivity. Are these observational studies or experiments? Explain.
b. Name the confounding variable to the above and explain how it is confounded to sugar.
c. Design a study to allow a parent to determine whether sugar causes hyperactivity in their child and explain why double binding is so important here.
I am having trouble identifying the confounding variable.
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Is the confounding variable the excitement of being with other kids at the party?
"In statistics, a confounder (also confounding variable, confounding factor or lurking variable) is a variable that influences both the dependent variable and independent variable causing a spurious association. Confounding is a causal concept, and as such, cannot be described in terms of correlations or associations."
Confounding - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confounding
a. The statement "Many parents, witnessing the aftermath of cake and ice cream at birthday parties, attest to the relationship between sugar and hyperactivity" suggests that these are observational studies. Observational studies involve gathering data by observing and documenting naturally occurring behaviors or events without any interference or manipulation by the researchers. In this case, parents are simply observing and reporting the behavior of their children after consuming sugar. They are not manipulating any variables or controlling other factors.
b. The confounding variable in this example could be the presence of other stimulating factors at birthday parties, such as excitement, loud noises, running around, playing with other children, or even the consumption of other foods or drinks. These factors can also contribute to hyperactivity. It becomes confounded to sugar because it is difficult to isolate the effect of sugar alone on hyperactivity, as there are multiple factors potentially influencing the behavior.
c. To design a study that allows a parent to determine whether sugar causes hyperactivity in their child, a double-blind, placebo-controlled experiment can be employed. The key features of this design are:
1. Random assignment: Participants are randomly assigned to either the experimental group (receiving sugar) or the control group (receiving a placebo).
2. Double-blind: Neither the parents nor the experimenters know which group a child belongs to. This eliminates biases in observation and interpretation of behavior.
3. Placebo control: The control group receives a placebo (a substance that resembles sugar but has no active ingredients), while the experimental group receives actual sugar. This helps to distinguish the effects of sugar itself from any potential placebo effects or psychological expectations.
4. Minimize confounding factors: The study should take place in a controlled environment to minimize other confounding variables, such as loud noises or other stimulating factors.
Parents would then observe their children's behaviors and record any signs of hyperactivity. After the study, the data can be analyzed to determine if there is a significant difference in hyperactivity between the sugar and placebo groups.
Double blinding is particularly important in this study to eliminate biases and ensure accurate observation and reporting. If parents were aware of which group their child was in (sugar or placebo), they might consciously or subconsciously look for signs of hyperactivity, leading to biased observations. By keeping both the parents and experimenters unaware of the group assignments, the study can generate more reliable and unbiased results.