When the conditions of a study only resemble or approximate the conditions of interest,questions may be raised about the ____ of the study.

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External validity refers to the extent to which the findings of a study can be generalized to settings, populations, and time periods beyond the specific conditions of the study. When the conditions of a study only resemble or approximate the conditions of interest, questions may arise about whether the findings can be applied to real-world situations, which would threaten the external validity of the study. Internal validity, on the other hand, refers to the extent to which a study can establish a causal relationship between the independent and dependent variables, and is not directly related to the issue of similarity between the study conditions and the real-world conditions of interest. Standardization and randomization are important methods for enhancing internal validity but are not directly related to external validity.

When the Conditions of a Study Only Resemble or Approximate