Which term best captures the notion that findings from a narrow group may not apply to the broader population?

• A. Generalizability
• B. Reliability
• C. Validity
• D. Sensitivity

Answer: (A)

This is about generalizability, the idea that findings from a specific group may or may not apply to the broader population. Generalizability, or external validity, asks whether the study’s conclusions hold for other people, settings, and times beyond the sample studied. If the sample isn’t representative or the context is unusually narrow, results may not transfer to the wider population, which is exactly the concern this term captures.

Reliability is about consistency—if you repeated the measurement, would you get similar results. Validity is about accuracy—does the measurement actually assess what it’s supposed to measure. Sensitivity refers to a test’s ability to correctly identify true cases. None of these directly address whether findings extend beyond the studied group, which is why generalizability is the best fit.