Concurrent validity is a type of evidence that can be gathered to defend the use of a test for predicting other outcomes. It is a parameter used in sociology, psychology, and other
psychometric
Psychometrics is a field of study within psychology concerned with the theory and technique of measurement. Psychometrics generally refers to specialized fields within psychology and education devoted to testing, measurement, assessment, and ...
or behavioral sciences. Concurrent validity is demonstrated when a test correlates well with a measure that has previously been
validated. The two measures may be for the same construct, but more often used for different, but presumably related, constructs.
The two measures in the study are taken at the same time. This is in contrast to
predictive validity In psychometrics, predictive validity is the extent to which a score on a scale or test predicts scores on some criterion measure.
For example, the validity of a cognitive test for job performance is the correlation between test scores and, for e ...
, where one measure occurs earlier and is meant to predict some later measure.
[McIntire, S.A. and Miller, L.A., Foundations of Psychological Testing,2nd Edition, Sage Publishing Co., 2005.] In both cases, the (concurrent) predictive power of the test is analyzed using a simple
correlation
In statistics, correlation or dependence is any statistical relationship, whether causal or not, between two random variables or bivariate data. Although in the broadest sense, "correlation" may indicate any type of association, in statistics ...
or
linear regression
In statistics, linear regression is a linear approach for modelling the relationship between a scalar response and one or more explanatory variables (also known as dependent and independent variables). The case of one explanatory variable is call ...
.
Alignment with classical conceptions of validity
Concurrent validity and predictive validity are two types of
criterion-related validity. The difference between concurrent validity and predictive validity rests solely on the time at which the two measures are administered. Concurrent validity applies to validation studies in which the two measures are administered at approximately the same time. For example, an employment test may be administered to a group of workers and then the test scores can be correlated with the ratings of the workers' supervisors taken on the same day or in the same week. The resulting correlation would be a concurrent validity coefficient. This type of evidence might be used to support the use of the employment test for future selection of employees.
Concurrent validity may be used as a practical substitute for predictive validity. In the example above, predictive validity would be the best choice for validating an employment test, because using the employment test on existing employees may not be a strong analog for using the tests for selection. Reduced
motivation
Motivation is the reason for which humans and other animals initiate, continue, or terminate a behavior at a given time. Motivational states are commonly understood as forces acting within the agent that create a disposition to engage in goal-dire ...
and
restriction of range
Statistical conclusion validity is the degree to which conclusions about the relationship among variables based on the data are correct or "reasonable". This began as being solely about whether the statistical conclusion about the relationship of ...
are just two possible biasing effects for concurrent validity studies.
Contrasting similar terms
Concurrent validity differs from
convergent validity
Convergent validity, for human cognition, especially within sociology, psychology, and other behavioral sciences, refers to the degree to which two measures that theoretically should be related, are in fact related. Convergent validity, along with ...
in that it focuses on the power of the focal test to ''predict'' outcomes on another test or some outcome variable. Convergent validity refers to the observation of strong correlations between two tests that are assumed to measure the same construct. It is the interpretation of the focal test as a ''predictor'' that differentiates this type of evidence from convergent validity, though both methods rely on simple correlations in the statistical analysis.
See also
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Construct validity Construct validity concerns how well a set of indicators represent or reflect a concept that is not directly measurable. ''Construct validation'' is the accumulation of evidence to support the interpretation of what a measure reflects.Polit DF Beck ...
*
Discriminant validity In psychology, discriminant validity tests whether concepts or measurements that are not supposed to be related are actually unrelated.
Campbell and Fiske (1959) introduced the concept of discriminant validity within their discussion on evaluating ...
References
Validity (statistics)
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