methods: validity

Question 1

what is validity in research?

Answer 1

• validity is whether a study measures what it intends to measure
• important for designing and evaluating research studies

Question 2

what is internal validity and how is it assessed?

Answer 2

• internal validity is how well a study establishes a causal relationship between the independent and dependent variables
• ensures no confounding by uncontrolled variables
• can be improved by standardising procedures, controlling for order effects, individual differences, and avoiding demand characteristics
• assessed through construct validity (how well a measure reflects the behaviour being studied) and predictive validity (how well it predicts future performance)

Question 3

what is external validity and how can it be improved?

Answer 3

• external validity is how well research findings can be generalised to other situations or populations
• two types: ecological validity (generalisation to real-life situations) and population validity (generalisation to other populations)
• can be improved by using a representative sample and making the study context realistic