Professional in Human Resources (PHR) Practice Exam

The focus of construct validity is primarily on what aspect of assessment tools?

1. Their ease of use for interviewers.

2. Their ability to measure non-job-related traits.

3. Their relevance to theoretical constructs.

4. Their historical accuracy in hiring practices.

The correct answer is: Their relevance to theoretical constructs.

Construct validity is primarily concerned with the extent to which an assessment tool accurately measures the theoretical constructs that it is intended to measure. This validity goes beyond simply assessing whether a measurement tool is related to observable behaviors; it looks at the underlying characteristics or traits that the tool is supposed to represent. For instance, if an assessment is designed to evaluate leadership qualities, construct validity would explore whether the assessment truly reflects the essence of leadership as a concept, based on established theories and models. In contrast, assessing ease of use for interviewers does not address whether the tool accurately measures what it aims to evaluate. Similarly, measuring non-job-related traits would not pertain to construct validity, which focuses strictly on relevant constructs related to job performance or specific competencies. Lastly, the historical accuracy in hiring practices speaks to the effectiveness of past hiring decisions rather than the measurement of theoretical constructs, making it less relevant to the issue of construct validity.