Which type of validity is evidenced by convergent and discriminant relationships with related constructs?

Which type of validity is evidenced by convergent and discriminant relationships with related constructs?

• A. Content validity
• B. Criterion-related validity
• C. Construct validity
• D. Face validity

Answer: (C)

Construct validity is demonstrated when a measure behaves in ways that align with the theoretical construct it’s meant to assess. Convergent validity shows that scores on the measure relate closely to other instruments that assess the same or very similar constructs, indicating the test is tapping the intended concept. Discriminant validity shows that the measure has weaker or nonredundant relationships with measures of different, ideally unrelated, constructs, indicating it isn’t capturing something else. Together, these patterns provide evidence that the instrument truly measures the intended construct rather than something else. Content validity focuses on whether items cover the domain adequately, and face validity is about superficial appearance, while criterion-related validity involves predicting external outcomes rather than relationships with related constructs.