Validity from a psychometric perspective

Abstract

The study of validity constitutes a central axis of psychometric analyses of measurement instruments. This paper presents a historical sketch of different modes of conceiving validity, with commentary on current views, and it attempts to predict future lines of research by considering the impact of wed computerized technologies on measurement instruments in psychology and education. Factors such as the new multimedia format of items, distance assessment, the intercultural use of tests, the consequences of the latter, or the development of computerized adaptive tests demand new ways of conceiving and evaluating validity. Some recent thoughts about the concept of validity are also critically analysed.