The results of psychological research can be recognized as objective only if empirical validity is observed.
This criterion is determined using appropriate scientific methods.
Definition in psychology
Under validity it is understood that the methods used during the research and the results obtained in the end result to the tasks assigned are understood.
Empirical evidence in this context, are considered as the result of the experiment.
Concept empirical validity is important when conducting research in the framework of experimental, organizational psychology, psychodiagnostics.
The concept of validity, reliability, reliability in psychodiagnostics
Psychodiagnostics is a branch of psychology that develops principles and tools for assessing the psychological characteristics of a person.
As a result of psychodiagnostics The specialist can conclude about the psychological state of the individual being investigated. There are three main stages of the study:
- collection of data corresponding to the task set by the researcher;
- processing, interpretation of the data;
- making a decision.
Psychology uses a large number of methods and techniques to help characterize the person.
Often the individual himself does not understand what qualities are inherent to him.
Understanding character traits, behaviors, and existing problems helps correct the state and predict the future.
Reveal the individual personality traits help psychological tests. Trusting the results of such a diagnosis is possible only if it is reliable, reliable and valid.
Psychodiagnostic validity is understood as the ability of a test to measure what it should measure.
That is, the results should to the exact extent displayed the information that the author wanted to get. If the test is different validity, then it is certainly reliable.
Usually emit three types of validity measurements:
- a separate feature, a set of features of the object under study;
- tools used during the study;
- sociological indices.
Currently very popular use psychological tests that people pass in order to obtain reliable information about their personality (character traits, inclinations, internal contradictions, complexes, etc.).
All these tests are aimed at measuring the psycho-physiological parameters of a person.
The usefulness of the test determined by the degree of its validity. The highest rate is 80%.
The higher the quality of the test, the more accurate the data will be for certain characteristics. A low level will indicate poor material quality. Passing this test, people will receive inaccurate data.
Professional psychologists apply in their practice only those tests that have been tested to the level of validity successfully. Such psychodiagnostic methods are successfully used in management, training, diagnostics, etc.
An important concept is validation. This is a test of the level of validity of the method. The method used to obtain the results should correspond to the direction of research in which it is used.
Validation helps to determine the effectiveness, efficiency of the method used.
Under reliability the data obtained as a result of psychodiagnostics is understood to be the preservation in time within the established limits of the values of all parameters under study.
Reliability is an important criterion for testing the methods used.
The main confirmation of the reliability of the results is their stability.
Thus, when conducting a primary and secondary testing of a certain group of people, the same indicators should ultimately be obtained. There may be minor discrepancies, but their minimum percentage is allowed.
Data match, obtained as a result of repeated survey of the same people, testifies to the sustainability of the results, the absence of a pronounced influence on them of random factors.
Mismatch usually allowed for two reasons: the variability of the studied question itself, environmental factors.
Credibility from the point of view of psychodiagnostics, this is the researcher's confidence in the correctness of the results obtained, confirmed by special experiments.
It is understood that a true indicator can be applied to any phenomenon, which demonstrates the accuracy and accuracy of the result.
Respectively, any deviation from this indicator indicates a violation of measurement accuracy. In other words, the presence of an error.
It does not take into account only a slight deviation from the index of truth, which is equal to random error.
If you test the same person several times, then each attempt will give new data. This will be the variation of indicators, which may be within the limits of random error, and may go beyond them.
This variation depends on two factors:
- Random inaccuracies. Occur under the influence of the human factor. Researchers are ordinary people who, depending on the characteristics of their character, level of professionalism, and the influence of external factors, can lead to inaccuracies.
- Systematic errors. Occur as a result of a violation of the research procedure, the use of incorrect tools, the admission of inaccuracies in the processing of results, the low validity of the methods used.
Developed research methodology must take into account the probability of making random errors. If such a nuance is not laid down in the methodology, then it cannot be considered accurate.
The measurement error rate is determined using a number of statistical indicators. The permissible maximum error size is 5%.
Ensuring the validity, reliability, reliability of empirical research
Empirical research can be conducted correctly only with the help of qualitative methodology and methodology.
Under by methodology the set of techniques and methods that are used during the experiments is understood. All these techniques must have a scientific rationale. Only in this case, the methodology will be recognized as reliable and reliable.
Technique - This is a ready-made algorithm that is used during the standard procedures.
Psychodiagnostic studies, like any other scientific processes, take place on the same standard algorithm.
The quality of the technique directly depends on the correctness of the selection, the implementation of the procedure, the choice of tools. Deviation from the existing rules leads to a loss of reliability and reliability of the study.
In this way, quality level of the methodology and methodology directly affects the validity of the experiment.
The main criteria by which empirical research must be consistent:
- representativeness (compliance of the characteristics of the sample with the properties of the entire population as a whole);
- accuracy (minimum probability of random errors);
- right (minimal probability of systematic errors).
During the study, it is important to use only reliable information, apply adequate assessment techniques, correctly interpret the data, make the correct theoretical conclusions.
Important source reliability analysisfrom which information is obtained. Generally accepted rules: primary data is always more accurate than secondary data, and official information is always more reliable than informal data.
Therefore, the data that are obtained by analyzing the primary sources of information and information from official documents considered more reliablethan data from secondary and unofficial sources.
There is also less doubt about the results that are obtained after checking or even re-checking.
This can be achieved using different sources of informationby conducting repeated studies of the same sample, using a variety of data collection methods.
The main techniques that help to achieve high-quality results of empirical research:
- Inclusion in the checklists of control and clarifying questions. This allows you to increase the accuracy of the information received in the end. The clarifying questions detail the person’s response by performing a dual function: the researcher receiving additional information, checking the accuracy of the data provided. Test questions are an aid to validating data.
By answering these questions, it is easy to understand whether the person being interviewed deliberately gives out information or does it automatically.
- Retesting (retesting). The allowable interval between surveys ranges from one to several months. Conducting the same study over a certain period of time helps to determine the stability of the information obtained from the subjects under different conditions.
If the correlation coefficient is high, the test is considered reliable. The minimum value that is considered satisfactory for recognizing retest reliability is 0.76. The disadvantage of this technique is the risk of addiction of the subjects to the content of the survey. Often they remember their answers to previous questions and automatically repeat them. - Conducting parallel forms of tests. Interchangeable test forms are used. First, subjects answer one set of questions, and then an additional list.
The advantage of this technique in comparison with the retest is that the respondents do not have the opportunity to train and memorize individual answers.
The time interval between the primary and secondary studies is also reduced. Equivalence of parallel surveys is achieved by applying the same number of tasks in both tests, applying unified questions, and having the same arrangement of questions according to the degree of difficulty.
- Split poll. The test results are divided into two parts. The convenience of this technique lies in the possibility of conducting a study once and get a reliable result. The test is divided into two parts: one contains answers to even questions, and the other to odd ones. This takes into account that the parts of the test are similar in semantic content.
Then the correlation coefficient is calculated. The division into two parts is not the only splitting technique, it is possible to release more parts of the test. The splitting method is often called the method for determining the internal consistency of a test (its consistency within itself, the adequacy of the questions used).
If the correlation coefficient is high, the test is considered reliable. The minimum value that is considered satisfactory for recognizing retest reliability is 0.76. The disadvantage of this technique is the risk of addiction of the subjects to the content of the survey. Often they remember their answers to previous questions and automatically repeat them.
Then the correlation coefficient is calculated. The division into two parts is not the only splitting technique, it is possible to release more parts of the test. The splitting method is often called the method for determining the internal consistency of a test (its consistency within itself, the adequacy of the questions used).Thus, with a scientific approach to psychodiagnostics possible to obtain the most accurate and accurate data. Empirical validity is achieved using certain techniques and methods.
