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A burgeoning line of research examining the relation between personality traits and political variables relies extensively on convenience samples. However, our understanding of the extent to which using convenience samples challenges the generalizability of these findings to target populations remains limited. We address this question by testing whether associations between personality and political characteristics observed in representative samples diverged from those observed in the sub-populations most commonly studied in convenience samples, namely, students and Internet users. We leverage 10 high-quality representative datasets to compare the representative samples with the two subsamples. We did not find any systematic differences in the relationship between personality traits and a broad range of political variables. Instead, results from the subsamples generalized well to those observed in the broader and more diverse representative sample.

AbstractSurvey experiments have become a central methodology across the social sciences. Researchers can combine experiments' causal power with the generalizability of population-based samples. Yet, due to the expense of population-based samples, much research relies on convenience samples (e.g. students, online opt-in samples). The emergence of affordable, but non-representative online samples has reinvigorated debates about the external validity of experiments. We conduct two studies of how experimental treatment effects obtained from convenience samples compare to effects produced by population samples. In Study 1, we compare effect estimates from four different types of convenience samples and a population-based sample. In Study 2, we analyze treatment effects obtained from 20 experiments implemented on a population-based sample and Amazon's Mechanical Turk (MTurk). The results reveal considerable similarity between many treatment effects obtained from convenience and nationally representative population-based samples. While the results thus bolster confidence in the utility of convenience samples, we conclude with guidance for the use of a multitude of samples for advancing scientific knowledge.

"Knowing a foreign language provides an advantage for understanding, working in, and building relationships with a particular language community. However, military personnel can expect to encounter multiple languages in their operational experiences over a career. Thus, it is important to understand what impact learning a foreign language has beyond its applications with a specific population. This report reviews research on the extent to which foreign language proficiency facilitates further language and cultural learning. Empirical research shows relationships among language learning and intercultural and language-related outcomes, but evidence for a direct causal contribution is lacking. In children, knowing a second language develops metalinguistic awareness, which can contribute to further language learning. However, other factors limit the degree of proficiency that can be expected. Evidence of benefits for cross-cultural attitudes and behavior is similarly scarce. The likely impact of language education and training on adults is therefore unknown, particularly for personnel who lack intrinsic motivation or language aptitude, or who hold negative attitudes about the language community. General characteristics such as intercultural sensitivity and interpersonal skills have been shown to contribute more to outcomes than do language skills. Evidence is currently insufficient to view language as the cornerstone of cultural capability"--P. i. ; "February 2009. ; Includes bibliographical references: p. 15-20. ; "Knowing a foreign language provides an advantage for understanding, working in, and building relationships with a particular language community. However, military personnel can expect to encounter multiple languages in their operational experiences over a career. Thus, it is important to understand what impact learning a foreign language has beyond its applications with a specific population. This report reviews research on the extent to which foreign language proficiency facilitates further language and cultural learning. Empirical research shows relationships among language learning and intercultural and language-related outcomes, but evidence for a direct causal contribution is lacking. In children, knowing a second language develops metalinguistic awareness, which can contribute to further language learning. However, other factors limit the degree of proficiency that can be expected. Evidence of benefits for cross-cultural attitudes and behavior is similarly scarce. The likely impact of language education and training on adults is therefore unknown, particularly for personnel who lack intrinsic motivation or language aptitude, or who hold negative attitudes about the language community. General characteristics such as intercultural sensitivity and interpersonal skills have been shown to contribute more to outcomes than do language skills. Evidence is currently insufficient to view language as the cornerstone of cultural capability"--P. i. ; Mode of access: Internet.