exploring reliabilities
Exploring Reliability and Validity
Researchers have constructed instruments in attempt to empirically measure values and culture belief systems of people and societies. In order for one to measure what some may consider subjective meanings; concrete definitions were given to the types of values that were examined in the “Values and Motives Questionnaire” (Values and Motives Questionnaire, n.d., p.1). The values examined were categorized as interpersonal, extrinsic, and intrinsic values (Values and Motives Questionnaire, n.d.). These categories cover relationships one has with others, themselves, and values that are seen as motivational (Values and Motives Questionnaire, n.d.).
Two pertinent areas to cover when examining the Values and Motives Inventory (VMI) are the issues that encompass the reliability and validity of this instrument. Reliability not only examines the dependability of scores, but also measures and accounts for the standard error of measurement (SEM) within the instrument (Whiston, 2009). The SEM is a hypothesis of what the scores would be if one took the test more than once (Whiston, 2009). Validity is when the test actually “measures what it claims to measure” (Values and Motives Questionnaire, n.d., p.15). So, not only is it pertinent to have consistency with a low amount of error, but it is essential that the instrument accurately measures what it intends to measure (Whiston, 2009).
Whiston (2009) outlines three types of reliability that must be considered when examining an instrument. First “test-retest”, calculates the coefficients between taking the test more than once (Whiston, 2009, p.53). The coefficient is the correlation/relationship between two different sets of data after a test was given (Whiston, 2009). This measurement was not conducted with the VMI, but if so it may have further validated the reliability of the instrument. The coefficient that was used for this instrument was the coefficient alpha, due to the responses having
Researchers have constructed instruments in attempt to empirically measure values and culture belief systems of people and societies. In order for one to measure what some may consider subjective meanings; concrete definitions were given to the types of values that were examined in the “Values and Motives Questionnaire” (Values and Motives Questionnaire, n.d., p.1). The values examined were categorized as interpersonal, extrinsic, and intrinsic values (Values and Motives Questionnaire, n.d.). These categories cover relationships one has with others, themselves, and values that are seen as motivational (Values and Motives Questionnaire, n.d.).
Two pertinent areas to cover when examining the Values and Motives Inventory (VMI) are the issues that encompass the reliability and validity of this instrument. Reliability not only examines the dependability of scores, but also measures and accounts for the standard error of measurement (SEM) within the instrument (Whiston, 2009). The SEM is a hypothesis of what the scores would be if one took the test more than once (Whiston, 2009). Validity is when the test actually “measures what it claims to measure” (Values and Motives Questionnaire, n.d., p.15). So, not only is it pertinent to have consistency with a low amount of error, but it is essential that the instrument accurately measures what it intends to measure (Whiston, 2009).
Whiston (2009) outlines three types of reliability that must be considered when examining an instrument. First “test-retest”, calculates the coefficients between taking the test more than once (Whiston, 2009, p.53). The coefficient is the correlation/relationship between two different sets of data after a test was given (Whiston, 2009). This measurement was not conducted with the VMI, but if so it may have further validated the reliability of the instrument. The coefficient that was used for this instrument was the coefficient alpha, due to the responses having
References: Values and Motives Questionnaire: The Technical Manual. (nd). Psytech International. Retrieved from the Liberty COUN 521 website. Whiston, S.C. (2009). Principles and applications of assessment in counseling (3rd ed.). Belmont,CA:Thomson-Brooks/Cole.