What is validity in psychological testing?

Validity in psychological testing refers to the accuracy and appropriateness of what the test measures. It assesses how well a test reflects the specific construct it aims to evaluate, which could be anything from intelligence to personality traits or specific skills. A test can be reliable, meaning it produces consistent results, but if it does not measure what it claims to measure, it lacks validity.

Understanding validity involves recognizing how well the test is aligned with its intended purpose. For instance, if a test is designed to measure anxiety levels but instead measures general personality traits, it would not be considered valid, despite possibly yielding consistent scores across different administrations.

In contrast, the other options cover different aspects of testing. Consistency of results relates to reliability rather than validity; feasibility concerns the practicality of administering the test and does not address its measurement accuracy; and subjective interpretation refers to personal biases in understanding test scores, which is separate from the inherent validity of the test itself. Each of these elements plays a role in psychological testing but does not define validity, underlining why the key focus is on the accuracy of what the test measures.