A researcher has observed that children who eat more sugar tend to show a higher level of activity than children who eat less sugar. However, the researcher suspects that the apparent relationship may be explained by the fact that some children have a higher rate of metabolism, which causes them to eat more and to be more active compared to children with a lower rate of metabolism who eat less and are less active. This is an example of the:.

This is an example of "THE THIRD VARIABLE PROBLEM".

Explanation:

Third Variable Problem is a type of confounding where we use a third variable to make a relationship between two others. This third variable problem always tends to be a mistaken identity towards a course.

Because the research has assumed the activiness of children who eat more such, when compared to the children who eat less sugar to be caused by metabolism rate without any Experiment, but has chooses to prove his point with a known Experiment, on children children who eat more food when compared to children who eat less food. This is a third party problem, because he has choose to conclude the result of two variables ( activiness of children who eat less sugar Vs children who eat more sugar) with an unrelated variable( food metabolism in children).

Question Optons:

a) directionality problem

b) third-variable problem

c) extreneous variable problem

d) manipulation problem check

THIRD VARIABLE PROBLEM

Explanation: Third variable problem can be defined as a process whereby an apparent association between an exposure and an outcome is explained by another factor in which the third variable leads to a mistaken causal relationship between two others.  

The three variables here are, children; sugar; metabolism. Originally the research was linked to only the children and sugar then later on, a third variable, that lead to a mistaken casual relationship, metabolism came into place.