Many university-based social science researchers use students in their classes as research subjects when they conduct experiments. How does this affect the generalizability of the results of the research?
A)College students are representative of the population as a whole, so using this sample increases the generalizability of the results.
B)It depends on the size of the college student sample.
C)College students aren't representative of the population as a whole, so using this sample decreases the generalizability of the results.
D)Using college students as a sample affects the replicability of the results.
E)Using college students as a sample has no effect on the generalizability of the results.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

College students are not representative of the population as a whole, so using this sample decreases the generalizability of the results. This is because college students are a unique subset of the population, typically younger and more educated than the general population, and may have different behaviors, attitudes, and experiences. Therefore, findings from research conducted solely on college students may not necessarily be applicable to the general population.

Many University-Based Social Science Researchers Use Students in Their Classes