"There are many assets to using a field study," said the graduate student. "First, you're dealing with correlation, so you can draw conclusions about the direction of causality. Second, you have a high degree of control over confounding variables. Third, because you're dealing with a contrived situation, you're bound to have poor external validity. And fourth, your presence might influence the subjects' behavior." Which part of the graduate student's thinking was accurate ?
A) Because it's a correlational study, one can draw conclusions about causality.
B) This type of study affords a high degree of control over confounding variables.
C) Because this type of study is contrived, it will result in poor external validity.
D) The experimenters' presence can influence the subjects' behavior.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Field studies often involve natural environments where the experimenter's presence can indeed influence the subjects' behavior. This is a recognized concern in such research. The other statements are inaccuracies regarding field studies: they do not allow for conclusions about causality due to their correlational nature, they typically offer less control over confounding variables compared to laboratory studies, and they are not contrived, which actually tends to enhance their external validity.

"There Are Many Assets to Using a Field Study," Said