What does construct validity assess?

Construct validity assesses the degree to which a test measures the intended theoretical construct. This type of validity is crucial in research as it ensures that the instrument or tool being used truly captures the concept it aims to measure. For instance, if a psychological test is designed to measure intelligence, high construct validity means that the test actually evaluates intelligence and not another attribute such as personality or motivation.

The evaluation of construct validity involves several aspects, including convergent and discriminant validity, which check if the test correlates well with other measures of the same construct while also being distinct from unrelated constructs. Thus, construct validity is foundational for ensuring that theories are accurately tested and that the conclusions drawn from research are valid representations of the underlying psychological theories.

In contrast, the other choices address different aspects of research validity or reliability, but do not focus specifically on the alignment between a test and the theoretical construct it aims to measure. For example, bias and accuracy relate to the fairness and correctness of findings, while reliability pertains to the consistency of results across varied settings or populations.