Suppose a researcher studying the effect of having a pet on elderly people's subjective well-being does NOT use a control group in his study.What type of validity is this measure lacking?
A)construct
B)external
C)internal
D)operational

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The study is lacking internal validity, which refers to the extent to which the researcher can confidently claim that the changes observed in the dependent variable (in this case, subjective well-being) are due to the manipulation of the independent variable (having a pet) and not some other variable or confound. By not using a control group, the researcher cannot be sure if any changes in subjective well-being are due to having a pet or other factors such as a placebo effect or natural fluctuations.

Suppose a Researcher Studying the Effect of Having a Pet