Psychometrics & Testing

Criterion Validity

Whether a test's scores correlate with real-world outcomes it's supposed to predict. The ultimate measure of a test's usefulness.

Criterion validity answers: does this test predict what matters? Big Five Conscientiousness has criterion validity for job performance (r=0.20-0.30 across meta-analyses). MBTI has low criterion validity for job performance (r=0.10).

Two types: Predictive validity (test predicts future outcomes: does high Openness predict career success in creative fields?) and Concurrent validity (test correlates with current outcomes: do high Extraversion people report more social satisfaction right now?).

Criterion validity is measured with correlation coefficients. JobCannon's assessments are built on tests with demonstrated criterion validity for career-relevant outcomes (satisfaction, performance, retention).

Related Terms

Test-Retest Reliability

A measure of how consistent a test's results are when the same person takes it again. High reliability (0.70+) means you'll get similar results each time.

Validity (Psychometric)

Whether a test measures what it claims to measure. A valid personality test actually predicts real-world outcomes like job performance, relationship satisfaction, or mental health.

Likert Scale

A response format used in personality tests where you rate agreement on a scale (e.g., "Strongly Disagree" to "Strongly Agree"). Named after psychologist Rensis Likert (1932).

Psychometric Test

A standardized, scientifically designed assessment that measures psychological attributes — personality traits, cognitive abilities, aptitudes, or attitudes — in a reliable and valid way.

Cronbach's Alpha

A statistic measuring internal consistency — how closely related a set of test items are as a group. Values above 0.70 indicate acceptable reliability for personality scales.

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