Sometimes it is difficult to establish a causal relationship between two correlating variables due to the presence of a third variable that correlates with both of them.This third variable is called a _____ variable.

A) pure
B) confounding
C) surplus
D) superfluous
E) thwarting

A confounding variable is a variable that is related to both the independent and dependent variables and can often create a false relationship or obscure the true relationship between them. For example, a study might find a correlation between alcohol consumption and heart disease, but this relationship may be confounded by the fact that individuals who drink alcohol also have other unhealthy behaviors, such as smoking or a poor diet.