Answer:
c. confound.
Explanation:
Confounding variable: In psychological research, the term confounding variable is referred to as any outside influence that alters or changes the independent or dependent variable's effect, often referred to as the extraneous variable. It directly influences the outcome or result of experimental design. It often results in ruining an experiment by creating or producing baseless or useless results.
In the question above, Ernie's failure to control for temperature of the room may result in a confound.