External Validity: Multiple Group Threats

Internal validity is defined as: “the approximate truth about inferences regarding cause-effect or causal relationships. Thus internal validity is only relevant in studies that try to establish a causal relationship” (“Internal Validity,” n.d.). Specific steps that a researcher should take to ensure internal validity in a mixed-method study are:
1. Ensure a cause and effect relationship is seen, and
2. Consider threats to internal validity, which are:
• single group threats
• multiple group threats
• social threats (“Internal Validity,” n.d.).
It is suggested that a control group needs to be added to this sort of design to rule out single group threats (“Single Group Threats,” n.d.). When dealing with multiple groups, to avoid threats, multiple groups must be similar and equal (“Multiple Group Threats,” n.d.). Some noted social threats to internal validity can be competitiveness, resentfulness, and imitation. Sometimes individuals develop these behaviors when they become cognizant of what others are doing (“Social Interaction Threats,” n.d.). One must consider these steps and be proactive in their research design to have a valid and successful project. …show more content…
262). Specific steps that a researcher should take to ensure external validity in a mixed-method study are:
1. Ensure the research can be generalized to people, places and time. That is where one could find fault with the research. For example: what time frame was the research conducted? Where was the research conducted? Who was sampled and was it completely random giving a proper view of the population? (“External Validity,”