A researcher compared the recidivism rates of drug abusers who were given probation with those who were sentenced to prison and discovered that the recidivism rates were highest for those sentenced to prison. What potential error is reflected by this conclusion?
A) internal validity
B) statistical conclusion validity
C) construct validity
D) external validity

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The potential error reflected by this conclusion is related to internal validity. This is because internal validity concerns the extent to which a causal conclusion based on a study is warranted, which is compromised here by potential confounding variables (e.g., the severity of drug abuse, previous criminal history) that might explain the higher recidivism rates among those sentenced to prison compared to those given probation, rather than the type of sentence itself causing the difference in recidivism rates.

A Researcher Compared the Recidivism Rates of Drug Abusers Who