Improving generalizability of developmental research through increased use of homogeneous convenience samples: A Monte Carlo simulation.

ABSTRACT: Due to its heavy reliance on convenience samples (CSs), developmental science has a generalizability problem that clouds its broader applicability and frustrates replicability. The surest solution to this problem is to make better use, where feasible, of probability samples, which afford clear generalizability. Because CSs that are homogeneous on one or more sociodemographic factor may afford a clearer generalizability than heterogeneous CSs, the use of homogeneous CSs instead of heterogeneous CSs may also help mitigate this generalizability problem. In this article, we argue why homogeneous CSs afford clearer generalizability, and we formally test this argument via Monte Carlo simulations. For illustration, our simulations focused on sampling bias in the sociodemographic factors of ethnic

SUBMITTER: Jager J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12238301 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature