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Philosophical Sketches of Construct Validity Theory

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Abstract

This chapter examines the various ways in which the philosophical foundations of construct validity theory (CVT) have been characterized by scholars of testing and psychological measurement. Works falling into one of three general orientations—positivist, realist, and positivist–realist mixtures—are summarized and contrasted. An effort is also made to discern from Cronbach’s and Meehl’s individual post–CVT writings the respective philosophical stances regarding constructs and construct validation of the two most celebrated creators of CVT. The chapter concludes with an exploration of a number of possible explanations for the inconsistencies that appear in the literature with respect to how the philosophical roots of CVT have been characterized.

Paragraphs on the [nomological] network and on links between theoretical notion and observables added dignity to the [Cronbach and Meeh (1955)] paper. They bolstered a virtuous claim that CV was in line with philosophy of science, and not a notstrum brewed up hastily to relieve psychology’s pains. Still, it was pretentious to dress up our immature science in positivist language; and it was self-defeating to say…that a construct not part of a nomological network is not scientifically admissible.

—Cronbach (1989a, p. 159)

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  1. Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada

    Kathleen Slaney

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  1. Kathleen Slaney
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Slaney, K. (2017). Philosophical Sketches of Construct Validity Theory. In: Validating Psychological Constructs. Palgrave Studies in the Theory and History of Psychology. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-38523-9_7

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