As part of an experiment on the effects of behavior modeling, a set of raters are evaluating the prosocial behavior in a three hour recording in a class of preschoolers. During the first hour (9- 10am), baseline prosocial behavior is coded for each child. During the second hour (10-11am), the teachers model prosocial behavior. During the third hour (11-12pm), prosocial behavior is again coded for each child. The researchers found a decrease in the prosocial behaviors. They wonder if the children might have been acting less prosocially due to fatigue or hunger. Which threat to internal validity are they worried about? a) attrition
b) maturation
c) history
d) testing

B. maturation

Explanation:

internal validity can be defined as the rate at which an evidence agrees with the claim about a cause/effect relationship in a population of study. The answer is maturation effect. In an experiment of this kind, since people are the focus and aim of the experiment, the maturation effect has the tendency of threatening results. Due to the changes that can occur in the research participant.

manifest functions are the recognized and intended consequences of any social pattern, while latent functions are those unrecognized and unintended consequences. to analyze the manifest functions of any social institution, we have to study its contribution to the continuation of a group, community, or society.