In an experiment on the effects of room color on mood,the participants in the pink room condition are asked to read a boring computer manual,while the participants in the bright blue room are asked to read a section from a romance novel.Their mood is then measured.This study lacks ________ because of ________.
A) generalizability; a systematic characteristic
B) external validity; the independent variable
C) generalizability; demand characteristics
D) internal validity; a confound

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This study lacks internal validity because of a confound. The independent variable (room color) is confounded with the type of task assigned to participants (reading a boring computer manual vs reading a section from a romance novel). This makes it impossible to determine if any observed differences in mood are solely due to room color or if they are influenced by the type of task participants were given.

In an Experiment on the Effects of Room Color on Mood,the