Establishing construct validity would probably be most important for which of the following types of psychological research?

• A. Developing a new measure of intelligence
• B. Recording the temperature in a laboratory experiment
• C. Counting the number of students in a classroom
• D. Measuring reaction time in a simple motor task

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the concept of construct validity: it refers to how well a test or tool measures the theoretical construct it is intended to measure. This is crucial when developing new psychological measures or tests.
2. Identify the types of research given in the problem: developing a new measure of intelligence, recording temperature in a lab experiment, counting students in a classroom, and measuring reaction time in a motor task.
3. Recognize that construct validity is most relevant when the research involves measuring abstract psychological constructs, such as intelligence, which cannot be directly observed and require careful operationalization.
4. Note that recording temperature, counting students, and measuring reaction time are more straightforward, objective measurements that do not rely heavily on construct validity because they measure concrete, observable phenomena.
5. Conclude that establishing construct validity is most important for developing a new measure of intelligence, as this ensures the test accurately reflects the concept of intelligence it aims to assess.