Reliability

Question 1

What is reliability?

Answer 1

The extent to which a test produces consistent results

Question 2

What is internal and external reliability?

Answer 2

Internal is when the test is consistent in itself, such as by using a standardised procedure
External is when the test is consistent over time

Question 3

How do we deal with issues of reliability?

Answer 3

• Use a standardised procedure;
• More than one researcher
• Blind procedure to reduce demand characteristics/researcher bias

Question 4

What is inter-rater reliability?

Answer 4

Where two or more psychologists produce consistent results by using a standardised procedure, agreed coding system, or correlation of their data;
High coefficient means inter-rater consistency

Question 5

What is split-half reliability?

Answer 5

Splitting a P’s test answers in half and seeing whether they got the same or similar scores on the two halves;
- If so, internal reliability is high; if not, it is low and individual questions would need to be redesigned.

Question 6

What is test-retest reliability?

Answer 6

Testing and retesting the same participants over time, with the same test, and comparing their scores;
- If the scores are the same the test has external reliability