External validity refers to the extent to which study results can be generalized beyond the study sample.

External validity refers to the extent to which study results can be generalized beyond the study sample.

• A. True
• B. Sometimes
• C. False
• D. Not applicable

Answer: (A)

External validity concerns generalizing study findings beyond the study sample to other people, settings, and times. So this statement is true. The idea is that if results hold in the specific participants and conditions of a study, they should also apply to the broader population or real-world contexts where you want to apply them. For example, a drug that lowers blood pressure in a trial with middle-aged participants in a university clinic should be expected to work similarly in other populations, such as older adults or those in different clinical settings, if the results are externally valid. Internal validity is about whether the observed effect is causal within the study itself, while external validity is about whether that effect would occur outside the study context. Threats to external validity include using a non-representative sample, artificial study conditions that don’t resemble real-world practice, and differences in settings or time that could alter the effect. If the sample and setting are representative of the broader population and typical real-world conditions, external validity is stronger.

External validity concerns generalizing study findings beyond the study sample to other people, settings, and times. So this statement is true. The idea is that if results hold in the specific participants and conditions of a study, they should also apply to the broader population or real-world contexts where you want to apply them. For example, a drug that lowers blood pressure in a trial with middle-aged participants in a university clinic should be expected to work similarly in other populations, such as older adults or those in different clinical settings, if the results are externally valid. Internal validity is about whether the observed effect is causal within the study itself, while external validity is about whether that effect would occur outside the study context. Threats to external validity include using a non-representative sample, artificial study conditions that don’t resemble real-world practice, and differences in settings or time that could alter the effect. If the sample and setting are representative of the broader population and typical real-world conditions, external validity is stronger.