Construct validity

Definition: When used in the context of measurement and testing, construct validity refers to the degree to which a test measures what it claims to be measuring. In fields that study hypothetical unobservable entities, construct validation is essentially theory testing, because it involves determining whether an objective measure (a questionnaire, lab task, etc.) is a valid representation of a hypothetical construct (i.e., conforms to a theory).

Related terms: Measurement crisis, Measurement validity, Questionable Measurement Practices (QMP), Theory, Validation, Validity

References: Cronbach and Meehl (1955), Shadish et al. (2002), & Smith (2005)

Drafted and Reviewed by: Annalise A. LaPlume, Ali H. Al-Hoorie, Mahmoud Elsherif, Zoltan Kekecs, Charlotte R. Pennington

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