Validity

Question 1

What are the 2 types of validity?

Answer 1

Internal

External

Question 2

What is internal validity?

Answer 2

The extent to which a test measures what it’s supposed to be measuring.

The extent to which results / DV are solely affected by the IV.

Question 3

What is external validity?

Answer 3

The extent to which the results of a test generalises beyond the scope of research.

Question 4

What are the types of external validity?

Answer 4

Ecological

Temporal

Population

Question 5

What are ways of assessing validity?

Answer 5

Concurrent validity

Face validity

Question 6

What is ecological validity?

Answer 6

Extent to which findings can be extrapolated / generalised / applied to everyday life.

Question 7

What is mundane realism?

Answer 7

Extent to which the task/procedure in an experiment are similar to real-life everyday events.

Question 8

What is temporal validity?

Answer 8

Extent to which findings can be generalised / applied across time frames.

Question 9

What is population validity?

Answer 9

Extent to which findings can be generalised to the wider population.

Question 10

What is concurrent validity?

Answer 10

Method of assessing validity -

when results of a test is compared with the results of a VALIDATED test in a similar field of research.

Question 11

What is face validity?

Answer 11

Method of assessing validity -

asking, ‘does the test APPEAR to measure what it says it measures?’

Question 12

How would you improve the validity of an experiment?

Answer 12

Conduct a lab experiment with controlled EVs.

Single-blind or double-blind procedures =
Reduces demand characteristics / investigator bias.

Standardised procedures =
minimises investigator effects.

Question 13

How would you improve the validity of a questionnaire?

Answer 13

Researchers would include a LIE SCALE =
to check the consistency of pps responses.

E.G. having 2 questions that ask the same thing but in opposite ways.

Making questionnaire anonymous =
Less social desirability bias - more truthful.

Question 14

How would you improve the validity of an observation?

Answer 14

Covert/Structured observation =
Can increase ecological or internal validity.

Behavioural categories =
Reduces chance of observer bias / subjectivity - categories are CLEARLY DEFINED / OPERATIONALISED.

Triangulation =
Having data coming from interviews, observation and written reports from pps - comparing the data.