PBL5

Generalizability of experiments relies on the ecological validity of a test. This means that only tests
that closely mimic real-world applications of the skill or attribute being tested are valid for
generalizing. If designing a short-term memory (STM) experiment, the task must be relevant to the
population that is being tested- for instance auditory memory tests for students, or spatial memory
tests for people who need to navigate. Furthermore, the environment of testing itself may impact
the results, including qualities such as familiarity. These can be controlled for by experimental design
however.

Statistical power refers to the likelihood of an observed effect being real rather than being caused by
chance, ranging from 0 to 1. The greater the number of participants, the higher the statistical power
becomes. This allows for smaller effect sizes to be observed with more certainty. The required
minimum sample size can be calculated using a projected effect size, this is termed a Power
Calculation. After performing preliminary tests to estimate an effect size,