measurement validity definition

Involves translating theory and concepts into observations and measures and focuses on how successful conceptualization and operationalization have been

2 steps of measurement validity

conceptualization and operizationalism

what is conceptualization

in measurement validity, it is defining the construct (trait, concept) you want to measure

what is operationalization

in measurement validity, it is determining how to measure that construct

when is measurement validity threatened

there is systematic measurement error (ex. Your measurement is biased- occurs in one area but not another) or there is systematic bias- can be in the form of underreporting (not wanting to say something on a survey)

what are the 3 types of measurement validity

face validity, content validity, criterion validity

what is face validity

in measurement validity, it is the extent to which a measure makes intuitive sense

what is content validity

in measurement validity, it is the extent to which a measure captures - does it capture the range of what's out there

what is criterion validity

the extent to which a measure is empirically related to various criteria intended to demonstrate its validity (not common for social science)

reliability definition

consistency of measurement- produces consistent scores and nothing changes if you do it over and over - doesn't mean it measures what you want it to but it's consistent, answers are not scattered

what are the threats to reliability

random measurement error- people reporting different answers (like if you did or did not include yourself in the # of group members you have), answers are scattered

generalizability definition

the extent to which the findings of a study will hold true for a wider group/a wider context

what are the 2 types of generalizability

sample generalizability and cross-population generalizability

what is sample generalizability

Taking the results of a part of a larger whole

what is cross-population generalizability

Taking the results and seeing if they apply to a larger whole

what is a threat to generalizability

if the results may not hold true to a broader population/the population you're studying

causal validity definition

exists when a conclusion that the independent variable leads to variation in the dependent variable is correct

independent vs. dependent variable

thing causing the change vs. thing being changed

threat to causal validity

if some outside factor causes the change instead of the independent variable

what to look for in causal validity

association, time-order, no spuriousness, a causal mechanism, and context