L3: Validity Flashcards
Validity - Definition
The degree to which evidence and theory support the interpretation of test scores for proposed uses
What are features of validity? (3)
1) Validity is a property of a psychological test score interpretation
2) A psychological test is valid to a certain degree (it is not binary)
3) Validity is based on both theory and empirical evidence
What are the various types of evidence for validity?
1) Content Validity
2) Response Process Validity
3) Internal Validity (structure)
4) Associative Validity
5) Consequential Validity
Content Validity - Definition
Degree to which the content of a measure truly reflects the full domain of the construct for which it is being used
Who evaluates the content validity of a measure?
Experts
Face Validity - Definition
Degree to which a measure appears to be related to a specific construct in the judgment of non-experts
Who evaluates the face validity of a measure?
Participants / test users
What characteristics of a test reduce content validity?
1) Construct Underrepresentation
2) Construct Irrelevant Content
Response Process Validity - Definition
The match between the psychological processes that respondents actually use when completing a measure & the processes that the researcher intends them to use
Response Process Validity - Evidence
Direct Evidence:
1) Think out loud protocols
2) Interviewing respondents
Indirect Evidence:
1) Process Data (ex: eye tracker)
2) Statistical Analysis (of results)
3) Experimental manipulation of the response process
What is direct evidence for response process validity?
1) Think out loud protocols
2) Interviewing respondents
What is indirect evidence of response process validity?
1) Process Data (ex: eye tracker)
2) Statistical Analysis (of results)
3) Experimental manipulation of the response process
What are general threats to response process validity?
1) Poorly designed items
2) Respondents (guessing, lack of motivation)
Internal Structure Validity - Definition
The match between the actual internal structure of a test & the structure that the test should theoretically possess.
What are features of a test with good structural validity?
1) The nr of factors match the theory
2) Rotated factor loadings display the theoretical structure
3) Factor correlations comply with what is expected based on the theory/literature
What are features of a test with poor structural validity?
1) The nr of factors to not match the theory
2) Rotated factor loadings do not display the theoretical structure
3) Factor correlations do not comply with what is expected based on the theory/literature
Construct Validity - Definition
Degree to which test scores can be accurately interpreted as reflecting a particular construct
Nomological Network - Definition
Network that summarises all theoretical relations between the construct of interest & all other related constructs and variables
A nomological network is used to examine what form of validity?
Associative Validity
Associative Validity - Definition
Match between a measures ACTUAL associations with other measures & the associations that the test SHOULD have with other measures
What are the various parts of a nomological network?
1) Validity coefficients - the individual correlations
2) Convergent Evidence - correlations between constructs that ARE related in theory
3) Discriminant Evidence - lack of correlations between constructs that ARE NOT related in theory
Criterion Validity - Definition
Degree to which test scores are actually related to a particularly important criterion variable that they should be correlated with. Example: GPA & Salary
What are the types of criterion validity?
1) Concurrent Validity
2) Predictive Validity