Validity, Construct

Construct validity is a logical inference from which some measure or test generates results that sufficiently corroborate theoretical conceptualization or rationale. Often, the process of construct validity centers on the development of a new measure or test. To validate the new measure, researchers generate empirical evidence to support argumentation that the measure is indeed accurately observing what is claimed to be measured. [Page 1820]Often in communication studies, constructs typically define various motivation- or attitudinal-based communication such as emotions, cultural values, and perceptions of identity, or performance-based communication such as skills, knowledge, and communicative outcomes such as the persuasive skills that speakers use to influence an audience to act. Consequently, to establish construct validity, researchers assess the accuracy of new measurement through determination of ...