Final answer:
The main priority for experimental studies is internal validity, which ensures that the observed effects are directly due to manipulation of the independent variable within the experiment's controlled environment.
Step-by-step explanation:
The main priority for experimental studies is often considered to be internal validity. This means being able to demonstrate that the changes in the dependent variable are indeed caused by the manipulation of the independent variable. High internal validity ensures that the experiment can properly test the hypotheses by limiting confounding variables and ensuring that the treatment differences are the sole cause of any differences in outcomes.
Experimental design must include key components such as a control group and the random assignment of subjects to treatment groups. Proper design eliminates confounding variables, therefore, if differences between groups are observed, they can be attributed to the experimental manipulation. This careful control is at the heart of pursuing internal validity.
Additionally, experimenters face ethical constraints which can influence how they design experiments. These considerations are especially important when dealing with sensitive topics where ethical experimentation is not possible.