ТиМИ - Чтиво 1

18 Measurement in the social sciences

lution. Indeed, as we will see, the detection, estimation, and elimination of systematic error depends far more on theoretical insight than on the blind application of statistical tools. Validity is most usefully approached through construct validation in which hypotheses specifying the relations among theoretical concepts are used to assess measures of those concepts. That is, in contrast to reliability, validity focuses on the relationships between indicants of a given theoretical concept and theoretically relevant, external variables.

Chapter 2 provides a nontechnical treatment of factor analysis, paying special attention to its use in measurement. Chapter 3 discusses reliability and Chapter 4 focuses on validity. Chapter 5 provides a systematic strategy for assessing systematic error in the social sciences. Finally, Chapter 6 formulates and illustrates on integrated approach to measurement, combining evidence based upon internal association with independent evidence revealed by the pattern of external associations.