Which kind of validity focuses on whether a test actually measures what it purports to measure?

• A. Content validity
• B. Concurrent validity
• C. Construct validity
• D. Predictive validity

Answer: (C)

Construct validity is the aspect of validity that examines whether a test accurately measures the theoretical construct or concept it claims to measure. This type of validity ensures that the interpretations and uses of test scores are grounded in the theoretical framework surrounding the construct.

For instance, if a test is designed to measure intelligence, it must be shown that the test correlates with other established measures of intelligence and not with unrelated constructs. Construct validity encompasses both how well a test relates to underlying theories and how well the test scores perform in relation to different contexts.

In contrast, content validity pertains to the extent to which the items on a test reflect the content that is intended to be measured, concurrent validity deals with the agreement of test scores with another measure taken at the same time, and predictive validity focuses on how well test scores can predict future performance. Each of these offers valuable insights, but it is construct validity that is specifically concerned with the inherent measurement accuracy of the construct itself.