Dr. Garland is interested in understanding how people get so invested in conspiracy theories and studies a group of college undergraduates to determine how their willingness to agree with certain claims related to personality characteristics. What might prevent Dr. Garland from generalizing the results of this study to the larger population of conspiracy theory adherents?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The primary issue with generalizing the results from a study of college undergraduates to the larger population of conspiracy theory adherents is sample bias. This bias occurs because the sample (college undergraduates) may not accurately represent the broader population of interest (all conspiracy theory adherents), in terms of age, education level, socioeconomic status, and other relevant characteristics.

Dr Garland Is Interested in Understanding How People Get So