statistical control

the use of statistical procedures to remove the influence of a particular factor that could not be eliminated or controlled by the experimental design in order to better analyze the relationship between two variables. For example, the relationship between age (x) and income earned (y) could be influenced by a third variable, years of education (z). Thus, if a researcher did not first remove the effects of education he or she might derive erroneous conclusions about the influence of age on income from his or her analysis. One type of statistical control is partial correlation. A second type is analysis of covariance.

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Psychology term of the day

March 16th 2025

phantom

1. an illusion without material substance.

2. the feeling that an amputated body part (e.g., a limb or breast) is still present. See breast-phantom phenomenon; phantom limb; pseudoesthesia.