What kind of validity assesses if the findings can be generalized to other settings?

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External validity is the type of validity that evaluates whether the findings from a study can be generalized beyond the specific conditions of the research. It focuses on the extent to which the results of a study apply to situations, populations, or settings outside of the experimental or observational context in which the research was originally conducted.

For example, if a study is conducted with a specific group and within a particular environment, external validity assesses whether the conclusions drawn from that group can be applicable to other groups or settings. High external validity means that the study's results are suitable for wider application, making the research more relevant and impactful in real-world situations.

In contrast, internal validity primarily concerns whether the study accurately reflects the cause-and-effect relationships within the conditions of the study itself, construct validity addresses the appropriateness of the operational definitions used for the variables in the study, and face validity refers to the degree to which a test appears to measure what it is intended to measure based solely on subjective judgement. These aspects focus more on the accuracy or relevance of the findings under controlled conditions, rather than their generalizability to other environments or populations.

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