The more tightly controlled the experimental setting,the less that setting reflects the real world.This suggests there is a trade-off between ________ and ________ in experimental research.
A) random assignment; systematic variation
B) internal validity; external validity
C) external validity; confounds
D) demand characteristics; confounds

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The trade-off in experimental research between the tightly controlled experimental setting and reflecting the real world is known as the trade-off between internal validity and external validity. Internal validity refers to the extent to which an experiment allows us to draw cause-and-effect conclusions, whereas external validity refers to the extent to which the findings of an experiment can be generalized to the real world. As the experimental setting becomes more tightly controlled (i.e., higher internal validity), it becomes less reflective of the real world (i.e., lower external validity). Therefore, researchers must strike a balance between internal and external validity when designing experiments.

The More Tightly Controlled the Experimental Setting,the Less That Setting