Correct option is A
External validity refers to the extent to which the results of a study can be generalized beyond the specific sample or context in which they were obtained. If the researcher wants to generalize the findings to a different population, external validity is essential.
Key Features of External Validity:
1. Generalizability: Ensures that the findings apply to other populations, settings, or times.
2. Representativeness: The sample used in the study should be representative of the target population.
3. Relevance: Study conditions should mimic real-world scenarios to enhance generalization.
Information Booster:
3. Balance Between Validities: High internal validity may sometimes compromise external validity, and vice versa.
4. Improving External Validity:
· Use random sampling.
· Conduct studies in varied settings.
· Replicate studies with different populations.
Additional Knowledge:
1. (b) Internal Validity:
· Refers to the extent to which the study measures what it is intended to measure, ensuring the results are due to the manipulated variables rather than extraneous factors.
· Important for the study's credibility but not directly related to generalization.
2. (c) Convergent Validity:
· Refers to the extent to which two measures of the same construct correlate.
· It is a type of construct validity, unrelated to generalizing findings.
3. (d) Divergent Validity:
· Refers to the extent to which a measure does not correlate with different constructs.
· It ensures the measurement's distinctiveness, not its generalizability.