Discussion:
External and internal validity
You are interested in understanding how a manager's leadership style impacts the performance of a work group. You are trying to decide the best way to design a research study to examine this relationship and want to try to maximize both internal and external validity as well as control over extraneous variables.
To what extent does the type of research design used impact the extent of internal and external validity? What research design might you choose to study this topic?
Why is there a need for control of extraneous variables when conducting research, and why is it important?
Let's say you think the leader's gender might be an extraneous variable in this study. Discuss three techniques you might use to control this variable and how those techniques would be used in this study.
Is control always possible or desirable? What conclusions can we draw about a study that lacks control?