Validity Flashcards
An index, usually expressed as a proportion, of the extent to which a particular trait, behavior, characteristic, or attribute exists in a population
Base rate
As applied to tests, a factor inherent within a test that systematically prevents accurate, impartial measurement
Bias
A type of rating error wherein the rater exhibits a general reluctance to issue ratings at either the positive or negative extreme, and so all or most ratings cluster in the middle of the rating continuum
Central tendency error
A form of criterion-related validity that is an index of the degree to which a test score is related to some criterion measure obtained at the same time (concurrently)
Concurrent validity
A class of mathematical procedures employed when a factor structure that has been explicitly hypothesized is tested for its fit with the observed relationships between the variables
Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA)
An informed, scientific idea developed or generated to describe or explain behavior; some examples of constructs include “intelligence,” “personality,” “anxiety,” and “job satisfaction”
Construct
A judgment about the appropriateness of inferences drawn from test scores regarding individual standings on a variable called a construct
Construct validity
A judgment regarding how adequately a test or other tool of measurement samples behavior representative of the universe of behavior it was designed to sample
Content validity
With reference to construct validity, data from other measurement instruments designed to measure the same or a similar construct as the test being construct-validated, which all point to the same judgment or conclusion with regard to a test or other tool of measurement; contrast with discriminant evidence
Convergent evidence
The standard against which a test or a test score is evaluated; this standard may take many forms, including a specific behavior or set of behaviors
Criterion
A state in which a criterion measure is itself based, in whole or in part, on a predictor measure
Criterion contamination
A judgment regarding how adequately a score or index on a test or other tool of measurement can be used to infer an individual’s most probable standing on some measure of interest (the criterion)
Criterion-related validity
With reference to construct validity, data from a test or other measurement instrument showing little relationship between test scores or other variables with which the scores on the test being construct-validated should not theoretically be correlated; contrast with convergent evidence
Discriminant evidence
Graphic representation of an expectancy table
Expectancy chart
A class of mathematical procedures employed to estimate factors, extract factors, or decide how many factors to retain
Exploratory factor analysis
A judgment regarding how well a test or other tool of measurement measures what it purports to measure, based solely on “appearances” such as the content of the test’s items
Face validity
A class of mathematical procedures, frequently employed as data reduction methods, designed to identify variables on which people may differ (or factors).
Factor analysis
In factor analysis, a metaphor suggesting that test (or an individual test item) carries a certain amount of one or more abilities which, in turn, has a determining influence on the test score (or on the response to the individual test item). Unlike other metaphors, however, it can be quantified.
Factor loading
As applied to tests, the ex-tent to which a test is used in an impartial, just, and equitable way
Fairness
(1) In the general context of the miss rate of a test, an inaccurate prediction of classification indicating that a test taker did not possess a trait or other attribute being measured when in reality the test taker did; (2) in drug testing, an individual tests negative for drug use when in reality there has been drug use
False negative
(1) In the general context of the miss rate of a test, an inaccurate prediction or classification indicating that a test taker did possess a trait or other attribute being measured when in reality the test taker did not; (2) in drug testing, an individual tests positive for drug use when in reality there has been no drug use
False positive
Less than accurate rating or evaluation by a rater due to that rater’s general tendency to be lenient or insufficiently critical; also referred to as leniency error; contrast with severity error
Generosity error
A type of rating error wherein the rater views the object of the rating with extreme favor and tends to bestow ratings inflated in a positive direction; a set of circumstances resulting in a rater’s tendency to be positively disposed and insufficiently critical
Halo effect
The proportion of people a test or other measurement procedure accurately identifies as possessing or exhibiting a particular trait, behavior, characteristic, or attribute; contrast with miss rate,false positive, and false negative
Hit rate
Used in conjunction with predictive validity, an index of the explanatory power of additional predictors over and above the predictors already in use
Incremental validity
A logical result or a deduction in a reasoning process
Inference
Refers to the point at which a regression line intercepts the Y-axis; refers to a test or measurement procedure systematically underpredicting or overpredicting the performance of members of a group; contrast with slope bias
Intercept bias
Also referred to as a generosity error, a rating error that occurs as the result of a rater’s tendency to be too forgiving and insufficiently critical
Leniency error
The process of gathering evidence relevant to how well a test measures what it purports to measure, for the purpose of evaluating the validity of a test or other measurement tool, typically undertaken in conjunction with a population different from the population for whom the test was originally validated
Local validation study
A procedure for gathering construct validity evidence that entails demonstrating that scores on the test vary in a predictable way as a function of membership in a particular group
Method of contrasted groups
The proportion of people a test or other measurement procedure fails to identify accurately with respect to the possession or exhibition of a trait, behavior, characteristic, or attribute; a “miss” in this context is an inaccurate classification or prediction; may be subdivided into false positives and false negatives
Miss rate
A method of evaluating construct validity by simultaneously examining both convergent and divergent evidence by means of a table of correlations between traits and methods
Multitrait-multimethod matrix
A form of criterion-related validity that is an index of the degree to which a test score predicts some criterion measure
Predictive validity
The ordinal ordering of persons, scores, or variables into relative positions or degrees of value
Ranking
A numerical or verbal judgment that places a person or attribute along a continuum identified by a scale of numerical or word descriptors called a rating scale
Rating
A judgment that results from the intentional or unintentional misuse of a rating scale; two types of rating error are leniency error (or generosity error) and severity error
Rating error
Less than accurate rating or error in evaluation due to the rater’s tendency to be overly critical; contrast with generosity error
Severity error
A reference to the slope of a regression line being different between groups, this term refers to a test or measurement procedure systematically yielding different validity coefficients for members of different groups; contrast with intercept bias
Slope bias
The extent to which individual test items measure a single construct; contrast with test heterogeneity
Test homogeneity
The process of gathering and evaluating validity evidence
Validation
Research that entails gathering evidence relevant to how well a test measures what it purports to measure for the purpose of evaluating the validity of a test or other measurement tool
Validation study
A general term referring to a judgment regarding how well a test or other measurement tool measures what it purports to measure; this judgment has important implications regarding the appropriateness of inferences made and actions taken on the basis of measurements
Validity
A correlation coefficient that provides a measure of the relationship between test scores and scores on a criterion measure
Validity coefficient
