reliability and validity

Question 1

what is validity

Answer 1

the extent to which results of a research are legitimate

Question 2

3 ways to assess validity

Answer 2

face validity
concurrent validity
predictive validity

Question 3

what is face validity (assessing validity) (2)

Answer 3

-the measure is scrutinised to see whether it appears to measure what its supposed to
-can be assessed by the researcher or another expert

Question 4

what is concurrent validity (assessing validity )(2)

Answer 4

-extent to which a psychological measure compares with an existing measure
-results obtained should match/be similar to the results of the existing measure

Question 5

what is predictive validity (assessing validity)

Answer 5

-how well a test can predict future events/behaviours
eg. how childhood attachment measured using the strange situation is able to predict how the child will grow up to behave in adulthood

Question 6

what is internal validity and what is it influenced by

Answer 6

-whether the outcomes are due to only manipulation of the IV
-influenced by:
extraneous + confounding variables
participant variables+demand characteristics
investigator bias

Question 7

what is external validity and what are the 3 types

Answer 7

extent to which findings can be generalised to other settings, populations and times
-ecological validity, temporal validity, population validity

Question 8

what is ecological validity

Answer 8

generalisability to other situations and settings

Question 9

what is temporal validity

Answer 9

generalisability to other historical times and eras

Question 10

what is population validity

Answer 10

generalisability to different populations (ages, genders, cultures)

Question 11

how to improve validity in qualitative methods (2)

Answer 11

-use of triangulation (using a number of different sources of evidence)
-researcher demonstrates the interpretative validity of conclusions- the extent to which the researchers interpretations of events matches those of the p’s eg. include direct quotes from p’s

Question 12

how to improve validity in questionnaires (2)

Answer 12

-use lie scale to assess consistency of responses and control effects of social desirability bias
-assure p’s that all data remains anonymous

Question 13

how to improve validity in experimental research (3 different ways)

Answer 13

-use a control group- easier to assess if changes in the DV were due to IV
-use standardised procedures to minimise impact of participant reactivity+investigator effects on validity of results
-single blind- reduces demand characteristics. Double blind- reduces demand characteristics and investigator effects

Question 14

how to improve validity in ovbservations (2)

Answer 14

-cover observations- behaviour more likely to be authentic- higher ecological validity
-behavioural categories shouldnt be broad, ambiguous and overlapping so they dont affect validity of results

Question 15

what is reliability

Answer 15

reliability=consistency of results over time

Question 16

what is internal reliability

Answer 16

how consistent something is within itself

Question 17

what is external reliability

Answer 17

consistent results produced regardless of when the investigation is used

Question 18

what is split half method (assessing reliability) (2)

Answer 18

-randomly select half of questions and put them in one form, then put the other half in another form
-these 2 forms of the same test are done separately- should yield the same score and have a coefficient of 0.80

Question 19

what is test retest method (assessing reliability) (3)

Answer 19

-researcher administers the same test on the same person but at different times
-results should yield coefficient of 0.80
-sufficient time should be left between tests so p’s cant recall answers. Time shouldnt be too long as p’s attitudes may change

Question 20

what is inter-observer reliability (assessing reliability) (3)

Answer 20

-extent to which there is agreement between 2 or more observers observing the same behaviours
-eliminated subjectivity bias
-should yield coefficient of 0.80- high inter-observer reliability

Question 21

how to improve reliability in questionnaires (2)

Answer 21

-questionnaires with a low test-retest reliability should have rewritten questions
-replace open questions with closed questions

Question 22

how to improve reliability in observations (2)

Answer 22

-have operationalised behavioural categories
-categories that arent operationalised well or observers are open to subjectivity can end up with differing, inconsistent results

Question 23

how to improve reliability in experiments

Answer 23

standardised procedures

Question 24

why are experiments often reliable

Answer 24

researcher has control over many aspects
-control allows for the experiment to be replicable for similar findings

Question 25

how to improve reliability in interviews (4)

Answer 25

-use same interviewer each time
-is this isnt possible, all interviewers must be properly trained
-structure their interviewers in a certain manner so everything is similar
-easier in structured interviewers where interviewers behaviour is more controlled by fixed questions