Construct-Related Validity Evidence

Construct-related validity evidence demonstrates whether a test measures its intended construct, where a construct can be defined as a conceptual abstraction used to understand the unobservable latent variable that is responsible for scores on a given measure. Constructs are said to be situated within the nomological network, which was originally proposed by Lee Cronbach and Paul Meehl in 1955. Nomologic refers to rules of nature, and the nomological network situates a construct in terms of its relationship to other, known constructs and behaviors in order to provide a theoretical context for the construct. This theoretical context in turn suggests avenues through which construct-related validity evidence can be provided, for example, in terms of its relationship to other constructs or traits.

According to our current understanding of ...