What distinguishes a field experiment from a laboratory experiment?

The correct distinction between a field experiment and a laboratory experiment lies in where the research is conducted, making the choice that states field experiments take place in a natural setting accurate. Field experiments occur in real-world environments where participants are engaged in their everyday lives, leading to greater external validity because the results are likely to be more applicable to real-world scenarios.

In contrast, laboratory experiments are conducted in controlled environments specifically designed to isolate variables and minimize outside influences. This control can limit the generalizability of findings, as the artificial setting may not accurately reflect how variables interact in the real world.

The other options fail to capture the primary distinction effectively. For instance, ecological validity is typically higher in field experiments due to their natural settings. Controlling the environment is the hallmark of laboratory experiments, not field experiments. Analyzing data at a single point in time is not necessarily a feature exclusive to field experiments, as both designs can involve various data collection timelines. Ultimately, the characteristic that field experiments occur in natural settings is what sets them apart from laboratory experiments.