What is meant by construct validity?

Construct validity refers to the degree to which a test or instrument accurately measures the theoretical construct or trait it is intended to measure. This involves assessing whether the operational definitions and the measurement tools used in the test align with the concept being studied. Essentially, construct validity establishes that the test truly reflects the specific psychological construct it is claiming to assess, ensuring that the findings derived from it are meaningful and applicable to that construct.

For example, if a test is designed to measure intelligence, strong construct validity would mean that the test effectively evaluates aspects of intelligence as defined by psychological theories, rather than unrelated cognitive abilities or skills. This is crucial because the accuracy of a test's interpretations and consequences relies on this foundational aspect of validity.

Other responses may touch upon related aspects of validity but do not encapsulate the comprehensive nature of construct validity as effectively. Options that refer to correlations or the prediction of behavior focus more on specific types of validity, such as criterion validity or convergent/divergent validity, which are subsets of the broader construct validity concept. Therefore, while they are relevant in the context of testing and measurement, they do not fully capture what construct validity entails.