A researcher attempts to evaluate the impact of a safety-training program that is intended to increase the use of helmets by child bicyclists. About the same time that the training program takes place, the local news media runs a front-page story about a five-year old whose life was saved by wearing a helmet. This case most clearly illustrates the internal validity threat of:
A)history.
B)maturation.
C)testing.
D)statistical regression.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The presence of the news story about a child's life being saved by wearing a helmet could influence the use of helmets independently of the safety-training program, thus posing a threat to the internal validity of the research by introducing an external event (history) that could affect the outcome.

A Researcher Attempts to Evaluate the Impact of a Safety-Training