What does the term validity refer to in the context of psychological testing?

In the context of psychological testing, validity is defined as the extent to which a test measures what it claims to measure. It addresses the accuracy and appropriateness of the inferences drawn from test scores, ensuring that the results are meaningful and relevant to the construct being assessed. For instance, if a test is designed to measure anxiety, high validity would indicate that it effectively captures the features and characteristics of anxiety rather than another trait, such as depression or stress.

This concept is essential because even if a test is reliable—meaning it produces consistent results over time—if it lacks validity, those results are fundamentally meaningless in terms of the construct being assessed. Validity encompasses different types, including content validity, criterion-related validity, and construct validity, each addressing different relationships between the test and the concepts it aims to measure.

In contrast, other options refer to related but different concepts. Stability of test results over time pertains to reliability, which is distinct from validity as it concerns consistency rather than accuracy. Consistency of the test results also relates to reliability measures. Lastly, the ease of administering and scoring the test is a practical consideration related to the test's usability, rather than its validity. Therefore, the focus on what a test truly measures confirms that the correct answer