In
psychometrics
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 ...
, criterion validity, or criterion-related validity, is the extent to which an
operationalization of a construct, such as a test, relates to, or predicts, a theoretical representation of the construct—the criterion.
Criterion validity is often divided into concurrent and predictive validity based on the timing of measurement for the "predictor" and outcome.
refers to a comparison between the measure in question and an outcome assessed at the same time. ''
Standards for Educational & Psychological Tests'' states, "concurrent validity reflects only the status quo at a particular time."
, on the other hand, compares the measure in question with an outcome assessed at a later time. Although concurrent and predictive validity are similar, it is cautioned to keep the terms and findings separated. "Concurrent validity should not be used as a substitute for predictive validity without an appropriate supporting rationale."
[American Psychological Association, Inc. (1974). "Standards for educational & psychological tests" Washington D. C.: Author.] Criterion validity is typically assessed by comparison with a gold standard test.
An example of concurrent validity is a comparison of the scores of the
CLEP College Algebra exam with course grades in college algebra to determine the degree to which scores on the CLEP are related to performance in a college algebra class.
An example of predictive validity is IQ tests, it was originally developed predict future school performance. Another example is a comparison of scores on the
SAT with first semester
grade point average
Grading in education is the process of applying standardized measurements for varying levels of achievements in a course. Grades can be assigned as letters (usually A through F), as a range (for example, 1 to 6), as a percentage, or as a numbe ...
(GPA) in college; this assesses the degree to which SAT scores are predictive of college performance.
See also
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Construct validity
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Content validity
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Discriminant validity (divergent validity)
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Face validity
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Test validity
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Validity (statistics)
References
External links
A page detailing multiple validity points
Validity (statistics)
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