Chapter 6: Validity

A test is considered valid when the:
1. test measures what it purports to measure
2. test results are consistent
3. test can be administered efficiently
4. all are correct
Which is NOT a method of evaluating the validity of a test?
1. relating test scores to scores obtained on other tests
2. examining the test's content
3. examining the percentage of passing and failing grades
4. relating test scores to the framework of a theoretical construct
Relating scores obtained on a tests to other test scores or data from other assessment procedures is typically the kind of evidence collected in an effort to establish the __________ validity of a test.
1. content
2. criterion-related
3. face
4. none are correct
Face validity, which is not really validity in the traditional sense, refers to:
1. the most preferred method of determining validity
2. another name for content validity
3. the appearance of relevancy of the test items
4. validity determined by means of face-to-face interviews
Which of the following assessment techniques has the highest degree of validity from the examinee's perspective?
1. asking examinees to tell what they see in inkblots for the purpose of personality analysis
2. administering a word processing test to a person applying to be a word processor
3. asking examinees to draw a picture of their family to assess family relationships
4. measuring the height of applicants to a police academy
Dr. Whatley announces that an exam will cover the topics of reliability and validity. Frazier boasts that he will read and study only the material on reliability. In fact, all the test questions are only on reliability. You might best conclude that:
1. the exam lacked criterion-related validity
2. the exam lacked content validity
3. the exam lacked face validity
4. it is worth getting to know Frazier better
Before constructing the final exam, your instructor reviews the objectives of the course, the text, and lecture notes. Your instructor is making an effort to maximize the ____________ validity of the exam.
1. content
2. criterion-related
3. predictive
4. none are correct
Which may best be viewed as varieties of criterion related validity?
1. concurrent validity and face validity
2. content validity and predictive validity
3. concurrent validity and predictive validity
4. concurrent validity and content validity
The form of criterion-related validity that reflects the degree to which a test score relates to a criterion measure obtained at the same time is known as:
1. predictive validity
2. construct validity
3. concurrent validity
4. content validity
The form of criterion-related validity that reflects the degree to which a test score relates to a criterion measure obtained subsequently is known as:
1. predictive validity
2. construct validity
3. concurrent validity
4. content validity
An investigation of a test's construct validity may yield evidence that:
1. the test is measuring a single construct
2. the test does not correlate significantly with another test purporting to measure the same construct
3. test scores increase as a function of age
4. all are correct
Which of the following affects the magnitude of a validity coefficient?
1. attrition of the sample
2. restriction of range
3. inflation of range
4. all are correct
What type of validity evidence best sheds light on how a shorter and less expensive test compares with a longer and more expensive test?
1. predictive criterion-related
2. concurrent criterion-related
3. content
4. construct
What type of validity evidence best sheds light on whether a college admissions test is valid for selecting students who will complete the program within four years?
1. predictive criterion-related
2. concurrent criterion-related
3. content
4. construct
What magnitude of validity coefficient is typically acceptable to conclude that a test is valid?
1. .50
2. .80
3. above .90
4. cannot determine without more information
A coefficient of correlation is calculated between Malcolm's score on a test of sociopathy and a clinician's rating of Malcolm on the variable of sociopathy. This coefficient of correlation might also be referred to as:
1. an index of reliability
2. an index of sociopathy
3. a validity coefficient
4. none are correct
What is the selection ratio for a position that has 100 applicants and 5 openings?
1. .50
2. .05
3. .005
4. none are correct
In an expectancy table, the percentage of employees who are currently successful in a position provides some indication of:
1. the validity of the proposed selection measure
2. the percent successful using current methods of selection
3. the reliability of the proposed selection measure
4. the base rate of the proposed selection measure
A test identifies an individual as being incapable of successfully performing a particular job when, in fact, the individual would have been successful in the job. This exemplifies what is meant by a:
1. hit
2. false-positive
3. false-negative
4. base rate
All validity evidence can be interpreted as ____________ validity.
1. content
2. criterion-related
3. predictive
4. construct
A "construct" may be characterized as:
1. unobservable
2. something that describes behavior
3. something that is presupposed to exist
4. all are correct
Which is an example of a false positive?
1. a test identifies a client as schizophrenic when the client is not
2. a test correctly identifies a client as schizophrenic
3. a normal individual feigns schizophrenia in order to receive disability compensation
4. a test indicates that a client is not schizophrenic when he or she is
If you were a personnel director working for Microsoft, then which claim by a test publisher might persuade you to purchase and use a new selection test?
1. the test identifies a large number of false positives
2. the test improves the hit rate
3. the test identifies a large base rate
4. the test significantly improves workers' interest, motivation, and output
What factor is perhaps the most prominent in keeping decision theory from being widely used in employee hiring?
1. the validity of the measures typically used
2. the complexity of the process
3. the lack of demonstrated utility of decision theory
4. all are correct
If a newly developed test that attempts to measure happiness correlates with other tests of happiness, but not with tests of sadness, this is referred to as ____________ and ____________ evidence of validity, respectively.
1. convergent; discriminant
2. discriminant; convergent
3. homogeneous; concurrent
4. concurrent; homogeneous

Chapter 6: Validity

Choose the correct answer for each question.