Jamie has been selected for a research study that involves a mock trial, prior to the actual study she takes a pretest about her familiarity with the court process. Afterward, she watches several shows about the law and reads articles about the role of the jury. What threat to internal validity might this cause?
A) regression toward the mean
B) maturation
C) testing
D) history

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The threat to internal validity in this scenario is "history," which refers to events that occur between the pretest and the posttest (or during the experiment) that are not part of the experimental manipulation but can influence the outcome. In Jamie's case, watching shows about the law and reading articles about the role of the jury are external events that could affect her knowledge or attitudes, thereby influencing the results of the study.

Jamie Has Been Selected for a Research Study That Involves