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3 - Reliability and Validity

from PART ONE - BASIC ISSUES

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 June 2012

George Domino  and
Marla L. Domino
George Domino
Affiliation:
University of Arizona
Marla L. Domino
Affiliation:
University of South Carolina
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Summary

AIM This chapter introduces the concepts of reliability and of validity as the two basic properties that every measuring instrument must have. These two properties are defined and the various subtypes of each discussed. The major focus is on a logical understanding of the concepts, as well as an applied understanding through the use of various statistical approaches.

INTRODUCTION

Every measuring instrument, whether it is a yard-stick or an inventory of depression, must have two properties: the instrument must yield consistent measurement, i.e., must be reliable, and the instrument must in fact measure the variable it is said to measure, i.e., must be valid. These two properties, reliability and validity, are the focus of this chapter.

RELIABILITY

Imagine that you have a rich uncle who has just returned from a cruise to an exotic country, and he has brought you as a souvenir a small ruler – not a pygmy king, but a piece of wood with markings on it. Before you decide that your imaginary uncle is a tightwad, I should tell you that the ruler is made of an extremely rare wood with an interesting property – the wood shrinks and expands randomly – not according to humidity or temperature or day of the week, but randomly. If such a ruler existed it would be an interesting conversation piece, but as a measuring instrument it would be a miserable failure.

Type
Chapter
Information
Psychological Testing
An Introduction
 , pp. 42 - 66
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2006

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References

Cronbach, L. J., & Meehl, P. E. (1955). Construct validity in psychological tests. Psychological Bulletin, 52, 281–302.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Dahlstrom, W. G. (1993). Tests. Small samples, large consequences. American Psychologist, 48, 393–399.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Domino, G., & Blumberg, E. (1987). An application of Gough's conceptual model to a measure of adolescent self-esteem. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 16, 179–190.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hadorn, D. C., & Hays, R. D. (1991). Multitrait-multimethod analysis of health-related quality-of-life measures. Medical Care, 29, 829–840.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Messick, S. (1995) Validity of psychological assessment. American Psychologist, 50, 741–49.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

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