Question

Dr. Shah is investigating social behavior by inviting participants to his lab and observing their interactions with one another over the course of three days. He concluded that participants who initiated conversations were more sociable than participants who did not. Which of the following is true if Dr. Shah's study has LOW external validity?

a) The study's findings are likely to apply to a wide range of social situations.
b) The study's findings may not generalize to real-world social interactions.
c) The study's results are highly reliable and consistent.
d) The study is likely to have a large and representative sample.

Answer 1

The study's findings may not generalize to real-world social interactions.

Step-by-step explanation:

The correct answer is b) The study's findings may not generalize to real-world social interactions.

Low external validity means that the findings of the study may not apply to a wide range of social situations. In Dr. Shah's study, the participants are observed in a controlled lab setting, which may not accurately represent real-world social interactions. The behavior of participants in the lab may be influenced by the artificial environment and may not reflect how they would behave in natural social situations. Therefore, the study's findings may not generalize to real-world social interactions.