When the effects of two or more factors cannot be separated, e.g. a study recruiting old men and young women confounds age and gender effect. A well-designed study should seek to minimise such effects. Found on http://www.encyclo.co.uk/local/20429
Con·found'ed adjective 1. Confused; perplexed. « A cloudy and confounded philosopher. Cudworth. » 2. Excessive; extreme; abominable. [ Colloq.] « He was a most confounded tory. Swift. » « The tongue of that confounde... Found on http://www.encyclo.co.uk/webster/C/134
confounded 1. Confused or perplexed; having caused the inability to think clearly: 'These questions even confused the professors.' 2. Having mistaken one thing for another, confused. Found on http://www.wordinfo.info/words/index/info/view_unit/869/