validity

Question 1

validity

Answer 1

the extent to which an observed effect is genuine

• does it measure what it was supposed to measure, and can it be generalised beyond the research setting within which it was found?

Question 2

face validity

Answer 2

a measure is scrutinised to determine whether it appears to measure what it is supposed to measure

Question 3

concurrent validity

Answer 3

the extent to which a psychological measure relates to an existing similar measure

Question 4

ecological validity

Answer 4

the extent to which findings from a research study can be generalised to other settings and situations - a form of external validity

Question 5

temporal validity

Answer 5

the extent to which findings from a research study can be generalised to other historical times and eras - form of external validity

Question 6

improving validity

Answer 6

• use a control group (comparison)
• single / double - blind procedures (participant reactivity and investigator effects)
• standardised procedures (demand characteristics)

questionnaires - lie scale (assess for social desirability bias), anonymity
observations - covert, behavioural categories
qualitative - triangulate