validity Flashcards
(17 cards)
what is validity?
the extent to which an observed effect is genuine
does it measure what it was supposed to measure? can it be generalized beyond the research setting within which it was found?
what does internal validity refer to?
internal validity refers to whether the effects observed in an experiment are due to the manipulation of the IV and not some other factors
what is a major threat to the internal validity of an experiement?
demand characteristics
what study is an example of demand characteristics impacting the internal validity of an investigation?
Milgram’s electric shock experiment - researchers have questioned the internal validity of Milgram’s experiment as it is believed that the ppts were just ‘going along’ with the experiment.
what does external validity relate to?
external validity relates more to factors outside of the investigation, such as generalizing to other populations of people, other settings and other eras.
what are the 4 types of external validity called?
ecological validity,
face validity.
concurrent validity,
temporal validity.
what is ecological validity?
ecological validity concerns generalising findings from 1 setting to other settings - ‘everyday life’.
can the results be applied to real life.
if the task used to measure DV in an experiment is not like ‘everyday life’, then this could lower ecological validity.
what is face validity?
when a measure is scrutinised to determine whether it appears to measure what is was supposed to measure.
what is concurrent validity?
the extent to which a psychological measure relates to an existing similar measure
what is temporal validity?
the issue of whether findings from a particular study, or concepts within a particular theory, hold true over time.
what is an example of a study where the temporal validity has been questioned?
Asch’s study - critics have suggested that the high rates of conformity within the original Asch experiments were a product of a particularly conformist are in recent American history (1950s).
How do we assess if something is valid?
we assess if something is valid through both face validity and concurrent validity.
face validity - does it measure what is was intended to measure?
concurrent validity - when the results obtained are very close to or match those obtained on another recognised and well-established test.
what 3 ways can validity be improved in experimental research?
using control groups - to see if changes in DV were due to the effect of the IV.
standardised procedures -to minimise the impact of ppt reactivity and investigator effects
single-blind and double-blind procedures - reduces demand characteristics.
what 3 ways can validity be improved in experimental research?
using control groups - to see if changes in DV were due to the effect of the IV.
standardised procedures -
how can the validity of questionnaires be improved?
by incorporating a lie scale within the questionnaires in order to asses the consistency of a respondent’s response and to control for the effects of social desirability bias.
a lie scale could be a repeated question
reassuring respondents that their data will be submitted anonymously will further enhance validity.
how can observations be improved?
Observational findings tend to have already high levels of ecological validity as there is minimal intervention by the interviewer.
This is most true when covert observations are used as the observer remains undetected, meaning that the behaviour of the ppts is more natural and authentic.
how can qualitative methods of research be improved?
already have higher ecological validity than quantitative methods as detailed answers may be given.
validity can be enhanced through the use of triangulation - comparing the results of 2 or more studies of the same thing to see if they are in agreement.
