The Social Turn in Validity Theory

• In Event: Topics in Test Validity: Theory and Practice

Abstract

The following paper addresses issues of social responsibility that pervade the literature of validity theory, but seem to only get brief mentions in actual validity reports. The author also attempts to raise an issue with the upcoming revision of the Standards and its use of Messick's notion of social consequences in test validity, arguing (with Cronbach, 1988) against Messick's notion that negative social consequences of tests only jeopardize test validity when they stem from problems within the tests themselves (such as construct-irrelevant variance). This paper contends that a true rejection of content validity necessitates a re-thinking of the role of negative social consequences and how they serve to jeopardize validity

Author

• Josh Lederman, Wellesley College