Final answer:
External validity refers to how well the results of a study can be generalized to other populations, settings, and times. It's important for research to have both reliability and validity to ensure accurate and applicable findings. Various types of validity, such as ecological, construct, and face validity, are considered by researchers to achieve this.
Step-by-step explanation:
The ability of a study to apply the findings to the population that did not participate in the study is external validity. This concept is concerned with the degree to which the results of a study can be generalized to other situations and to other people. It is a crucial aspect of research design because it addresses the applicability of the research findings beyond the specific conditions of the study. While reliability refers to the consistency of a measure, validity involves both the accuracy and the appropriateness of how the study measures what it's supposed to measure. Researchers strive to achieve not only reliability but also high validity to ensure that their studies can produce useful and applicable results.
- Ecological Validity: The degree to which research results can be applied to real-world situations.
- Construct Validity: Whether a tool or test accurately measures the concept it purports to measure.
- Face Validity: The extent to which a measure appears effective in terms of its stated aims.