Concurrent validity
Test results correspond to pre-existing records for the same test
As distinct from Promana's observable behavioural approach, personality tests, administered several times, are expected to yield similar results each time, within a given range. The results of behavioural assessments, such as Promana's, are expected to disclose changes attributable to altered conditions affecting the respondent.
Promana People assessments reveal the nature and degree of changed behaviour. For example, the Action Styles survey reports on strategic and tactical behaviour variances that are traceable to situational influences.
When situations change, behaviours change. A Promana assessment has concurrent validity when the situational context is taken into account, and when it is unchanged (and, we do offer the facility to capture and report on situational context, in all assessments).
Construct validity
When the results of a test or an evaluation accurately reflect what is claimed
In personality-based assessments, theoretical or abstract concepts are represented by concrete proxies (known as constructs).
Rather than hypothetical concepts of personality, Promana's constructs report on tangible performance criteria. So, while personality constructs are not relevant to Promana's methodology, our assessments do meet the standard for Construct Validity.
Content validity
When an assessment, evaluation or test encompasses all the factors it purports to measure
Promana's assessment questionnaires have content validity because they're compiled from the criterion-referenced behaviours that define each of the twelve survey groups. Twelve criterion-based factors represent all the behaviours that belong to each of the twelve surveys, and each factor is defined by a set of behavioural criteria statements.
Predictive validity
The extent to which
- described behaviours correlate with pre-existing descriptions, or
- future observed behaviours correlate with evaluated outcomes
Predictive validity addresses the question, 'Does this assessment measure what it is intended to measure and can the results predict things about the respondent?' As the term implies, predictive validity addresses how well a specific tool predicts future behaviour.
Promana's assessments are brilliant when it comes to performance and behaviour prediction. Predictive validity? Check!
Subjective validity
The degree to which an assessment, taken at face value, appears to measure what is claimed
Also known as the "Do you think it's accurate?" test.
Unlike other forms of validation, subjective or personal validity is a type of cognitive bias. It causes an individual to consider a statement or another piece of information correct if it has any significance or personal meaning to them (validating their previous opinion).
While this type of validation can help assessments gain popular acceptance, it lacks the objectivity of other validating methods and should never be the only validation sought (much has been written about this, and it's known as the Barnum-Forer effect).
Conclusion
Our respondents often remark at how spookily accurate Promana's assessments are.
We think having the associated concurrent, construct, content and predictive validities in place to support those subjective reviews puts our suite of assessments in quite a different league to the pop quizzes of the world.