Unit 5

Constructs

Conceptual variables that are not directly observable, such as happiness.

Operational Variables

Observable variables used to infer the existence of constructs.

Self-Report Measurements

The most common form of measurement in psychological science; individuals report their own information.

Observational Measurements

Measurement through direct observation of behavior.

Physiological Measurements

Measurements obtained from physiological data, such as blood pressure or brain imaging.

Categorical Variables

Variables that have no numerical value and can be coded numerically, but the numbers are arbitrary.

Ordinal Scale

A rank-ordered scale where distances between levels are not equal.

Interval Scale

A scale with equal intervals but no true zero, such as temperature.

Ratio Scale

A scale with equal intervals and a true zero point, such as pulse.

Validity

The degree to which a measure accurately assesses what it claims to measure.

Reliability

The consistency of a measure over time and across different observers.

Test-Retest Reliability

The consistency of results every time a measure is used.

Interrater Reliability

The degree to which different observers give consistent ratings of the same targets.

Internal Reliability

The consistency of responses within a measure that contains multiple items.

Construct Validity

The extent to which a measure accurately assesses a given construct.

Face Validity

The extent to which a measure appears to measure what it claims to measure.

Criterion Validity

The extent to which a measure is associated with a behavioral outcome.

Convergent Validity

The extent to which a measure correlates with other measures of the same construct.

Discriminant Validity

The ability of a scale to differentiate among related constructs.