validity

• what is validity?


  (generally and loosely) the property of being true, correct, and conformity with reality
• why would a study be valid?


  if you are measuring what you want to
• what is a study if it lacks validity? 


  too generalised
• what is face validity


  a basic for of validity in which a measure is scrutinised to determine whether it measured what it is meant to measure
• what is mundane realism?


  the extent to which the task that the participants are asked to do i the study is similar to the tasks the participants would do in everyday life
• what is concurrent validity?


  the extent to which s psychological measure relates to an existing measure. participants are given both measured at the same time. if there is high agreement between the scored in both measures it is said that the measures have high concurrent validigy
• what is ecological validity?


  the extent to which findings from a study can be generalised to other settings and situations
• what is temporal/ historical validity?


  the extent to which findings from a study can be generalised to other historical times and eras
• what is predicted validity?


  the extent to which a test/theory predicts future behaviour
• what is population validity?


  the extent to which the sample of participants is representati e of the wider target population
• what is internal validity?


  how well a study is done, especially whether it avoids confounding variables
• what is external validity?


  the extent to which the conclusions of the study can be applied outside the study the extent to which the results of the study can be generalised to and across other situations, people stimuli and times
• what is assessing?

  making a decision/judgement about how valid your data/study is
• what is improving?

  making something more valid/true
• how can you assess validity?


  using:

  -face validity

  -concurrent validity
• how can you improve the validity of experiments?


  -use a control group (to compare with the experimental group

  -standardise procedures (to minimise participant reactivity and investigator effects)

  -use a single or double blind procedure
• what is a double blind procedure?


  neither the researcher or participants know which group they are in
• how can you improve the validity of self-report studies?


  -avoid leading, double-barralled and ambiguous questions

  -Avoid using double negatives within questions
• how do you specifically improve questionnaires?

  -Include a lie scale in order to assess social desire ability bias

  -Participants to submit data anonymously
• how do you improve the validity of observations?


  -covert observation is more likely to you’ll greater validity than overt observation

  -behavioural categories need to be specific, not ambiguous and mutually exclusive in order for valid data to be collected
• what are behavioural categories?


  specific behaviours the researchers are looking for in their study
• how do you improve the validity of qualitative methods?


  -triangulation

  -inclusion of direct quotes to support what the researcher is saying
• what is triangulation?


  using a number of sources to see if they all point to the same conclusion, if so the conclusion is considered valid