Final answer:
Sex (male or female) in the study by Dr. Guidry acts as a moderator because it alters the strength of the relationship between the number of friends and life satisfaction.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the study found by Dr. Guidry, sex (male or female) is considered a moderator. A moderator is a variable that affects the strength or direction of the relationship between an independent variable (number of friends) and a dependent variable (life satisfaction). Since the relationship between a number of friends and satisfaction is stronger for men than women, the sex of the individuals moderates how friendship impacts satisfaction.