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When designing or evaluating psychological research, it is often impossible to achieve high validity across all four major domains: internal, external, construct, and statistical validity. Because these validities can share an inverse relationship, researchers must strategically prioritize some types of validity over others based on the specific goals of their study. For example, Morling (2014) notes that psychology experiments frequently prioritize high internal and construct validity by using highly controlled laboratory settings, which can inadvertently sacrifice external validity. Recognizing these necessary trade-offs is crucial, as a study with modest validity in one area is not inherently invalid, but rather presents opportunities for improvement in future follow-up research.

Prioritizing Validities

Because statistical analyses are inherently probabilistic and all research methodologies contain potential flaws, absolute scientific proof does not exist. Instead of definitively proving that a theory is true, systematic empirical research provides varying degrees of scientific evidence. Consequently, theories are continually supported, weakened, or refined based on new data rather than being permanently proven.

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