validity Flashcards
What is validity in psychological research?
Validity refers to the extent to which a study or measurement tool measures what it claims to measure and whether the conclusions drawn are accurate.
What is internal validity?
Internal validity is the extent to which cause and effect can be established—i.e., whether changes in the DV are due to the IV and not confounding variables.
What is external validity?
External validity refers to the extent to which the results can be generalised to:
• Other people (population validity)
• Other settings (ecological validity)
• Other times (temporal validity)
What is ecological validity?
Ecological validity is a type of external validity; it refers to whether research findings can be generalised to real-life settings.
What is temporal validity?
Temporal validity refers to whether findings can be generalised across time—i.e., if they remain valid outside the historical or cultural context in which the research occurred.
What is face validity and how is it assessed?
Face validity is a form of content validity—it asks whether a test appears to measure what it claims to. It’s often assessed by asking experts or participants for their judgment.
What is concurrent validity?
Concurrent validity is assessed by comparing a new measure with a previously validated one. If results are similar, the new test is considered valid.
How can internal validity be improved?
• Control extraneous variables
• Use standardised procedures
• Avoid demand characteristics and investigator effects
• Use random allocation in experiments
How can external validity be improved?
• Use more representative samples
• Conduct field experiments for higher ecological validity
• Replicate studies in different contexts and times
How can validity be improved in questionnaires?
• Assure anonymity to reduce social desirability bias
• Use validated scales
• Include a lie scale to detect false responses
How can validity be improved in observations?
• Use covert observation to reduce demand characteristics
• Ensure clear, relevant behavioural categories
• Have multiple observers and compare results
