reliability and validity of intelligence tests

If you have valid data, you expect particular pairs of variables to correlate positively or negatively. This type is the opposite of criterion validity. Related posts: Criterion Validity: Definition, Assessing, and Examples and Interpreting Correlation Coefficients Discriminant Validity You should observe high correlations (either positive or negative). This type is also known as convergent validity because scores for different measures converge or correspond as theory suggests. Our measure for anxiety correlates with other variables as expected. If we see this pattern of relationships, it supports criterion validity.

Anxiety scores might also correlate positively with depression and eating disorders. For whatever you’re measuring, you expect it to have particular relationships with other variables.įor example, measures of anxiety should correlate positively with the number of negative thoughts. Researchers typically assess criterion validity by correlating different types of data. If your data are valid, you’d expect to observe a particular correlation pattern between the variables. If your instrument passes this low bar, you still have more validation work ahead of you.Ĭriterion validity relates to the relationships between the variables in your dataset. However, when a measure satisfies face validity, understand it is an intuition or a hunch that it feels correct. After all, if a test can’t clear this fundamental requirement, the other types of validity are a moot point. Ensure that you understand the nature of the instrument and how it assesses a construct. While this is a low bar, it’s an important issue to consider. If the survey contains these questions, then “on its face,” it seems like the instrument measures the construct that the researchers intend. Does the measurement instrument appear “on its face” to measure the intended construct? For a survey that assesses thrill-seeking behavior, you’d expect it to include questions about seeking excitement, getting bored quickly, and risky behaviors. Let’s look at these types of validity in more detail! Face Validityįace validity is the simplest and weakest type. Construct Validity: Does the instrument measure the correct attribute?.

Predictive Validity: Does the measure accurately predict outcomes?.Concurrent Validity: Do simultaneous measures of the same construct correlate?.Discriminant Validity: Is there no correlation between measures that should not have a relationship?.Criterion Validity: Do measures correlate with other measures in a pattern that fits theory?.Content Validity: Do the test items adequately evaluate the target topic?.

Face Validity: On its face, does the instrument measure the intended characteristic?.

Reliability and validity of intelligence tests