Reflect on the Are You Equipped Now at the end of the chapter.If the decrease in pain reported by participants was due to internal changes that occurred within the participant over a three month time period, which of the following was a threat to internal validity?
A)selection
B)maturation
C)regression to the mean
D)attrition

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Maturation refers to internal changes that occur within participants over time that may affect the outcome of a study. Therefore, if the decrease in pain reported by participants was due to internal changes that occurred within the participant over a three month time period, maturation would be a threat to internal validity. Selection refers to bias in selecting participants, regression to the mean refers to extreme scores moving closer to the mean over time, and attrition refers to participants dropping out of a study. While these factors may also be threats to internal validity in certain circumstances, they are not specifically related to internal changes within participants.

Reflect on the Are You Equipped Now at the End