Explain the difference between internal validity and external validity in experimental research. Why must experimenters usually make a "trade-off" between internal and external validity?
What will be an ideal response?
Answer: External validity refers to the extent to which the results of an experiment can be generalized to other circumstances, such as other populations or places. Internal validity is the degree to which an experiment allows confident statements about cause and effect. Experimenters often are forced to make a "trade-off" between external and internal validity. The reason is that externally valid studies—those that are most generalizable to the world outside the laboratory—tend to be less controlled (and therefore have less internal validity) as a result. Conversely, experiments that have high internal validity often are so well controlled that they produce a very artificial environment, and therefore are more limited in the degree to which they generalize to the outside world.
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Researchers have found that depression occurs
a. nearly twice as frequently in women as in men. b. nearly four times as frequently in women as in men. c. with equal frequency in women and in men. d. nearly twice as frequently in men as in women.
Anita's parents are from India and continue to follow the traditions of that country. Her parents have matched a husband for her, and she is to be married in two weeks. One morning, however, Anita wakes up paralyzed, and has no use of her legs. A thorough medical examination can find nothing physically wrong that would account for Anita's paralysis. Anita would most likely be diagnosed with ____
a. illness anxiety disorder (hypochondriasis) b. factitious disorder c. malingering d. functional neurological symptom disorder (conversion disorder)
In addition to the roles they play in hunger, orexins (hypocretins) are involved in what other type of behavior?
a. sociability b. drinking c. sex d. narcolepsy
Based on Zuckerman's account, people who enjoy activities involving a high degree of risk
(such as skydiving and cliff-jumping) are likelyto score high on the personality dimension of a. neuroticism. b. psychoticism. c. conscientiousness. d. extroversion. e. agreeableness.