Psychometric Theory - Validity

These flashcards cover essential concepts, definitions, and distinctions related to validity within psychometric theory.

What is validity in psychometric theory?

Validity is the accuracy of the testing instrument, determining whether the test measures what it is designed to measure.

What type of validity assesses whether a test accurately measures certain psychological constructs?

Construct Validity.

What are the two primary questions that determine content validity?

1) Does the test cover a representative sample of specified skills and knowledge? 2) Is the test performance reasonably free from the influence of irrelevant variables?

What is the significance of content validity?

Content validity ensures that the measure accurately reflects the construct it is intended to assess, preventing erroneous clinical judgments.

What methodologies are used to calibrate content validity?

Expert evaluations and focus groups are employed to assess the relevance and clarity of test items.

What is criterion-related validity?

Criterion-related validity assesses the extent to which instrument scores correlate with a relevant criterion variable.

What distinguishes predictive validity from concurrent validity?

Predictive validity concerns the ability of a test to predict an outcome over time, while concurrent validity pertains to assessments made at the same time as the criterion.

What is the goal of convergent validity?

To demonstrate that the measurement is correlated with other measures that are intended to assess the same construct.

What does discriminant validity measure?

Discriminant validity assesses the lack of correlation between measurements of different constructs, aiming for minimal association.

What is face validity?

Face validity refers to the extent to which a test appears valid to those taking it, although it is subjective and imprecise.

How can validity be ensured in test development?

By analyzing performance against established groups, managing potential criterion contamination, and ensuring age differentiation for age-related scoring.

What is incremental validity?

Incremental validity determines whether a psychometric assessment increases predictive ability beyond existing methods.

What is ecological validity?

Ecological validity is the extent to which test results can be generalized to real-life settings.

What are the two approaches outlined by Chaytor and Schmitter-Edgecombe to establish ecological validity?

1) Verisimilitude - creating tests that simulate everyday activities. 2) Veridicality - establishing empirical relations to measures of everyday functioning.

How are reliability and validity related in psychometric assessments?

A measure can be valid without being reliable, and conversely, a measure can be reliable without being valid.