LS4 - Types Of Validity Flashcards
Validity
Whether a measuring instrument/study measures what it claims to measure.
Internal Validity
A measure of whether results obtained are solely affected by changes in the variable being manipulated in a cause and effect relationship.
External Validity
A measure of whether data can be generalised to other situations outside of the research environment.
Ecological Validity
The extent to which findings can be applied to other settings. A lack of this can make it difficult to generalise as behaviour may be very different in lab conditions.
Temporal Validity
The extent to which findings can be applied across time.
Two Ways TO Assess Validity
Face Validity
Concurrent Validity
Face Validity
Checks whether the test appears to measure what it says, it’s likely to be conducted by a specialist in the field. If the specialist thinks the information is valid then the validity is high.
Concurrent Validity
Where the performance of the test in question is compared to a test that is already recognised and trusted within the same field.
Improving Experiment Validity
A control group allows psychologists to see whether the IV influences the DV. Single/Double blind techniques means participants don’t know which condition they’re in, therefore demand characteristics/investigator effects are less likely.
Improving Questionnaire Validity
Check responses are consistent, which can be done by asking the same question twice in opposite ways. Keep their responses anonymous making it more likely for them to be honest.
Asking Two Questions In Opposite Ways
For example, on a scale measuring depression imagine that each item asks participants to rate from 1 to 5, with one being ‘completely disagree’ and 5 being ‘completely agree’. There might be one item in the scale that says, ‘I generally sleep well at night’ and another that says, ‘my sleeping has become worse’. A participant could not respond to both items honestly with a rating of with 5, ‘strongly agree’, because they contradict each other.
Improving Validity Observations
Ecological validity must be high, observers must have minimal impact on the field. Covert observations is where the researcher isn’t seen, increasing the likelihood that behaviour is natural. Behavioural categories will reduce subjectivity, qualitative data retrieval is the most ecologically valid.
