Ecological validity
Encyclopedia
Ecological validity is a form of validity
in a research study. For a research study to possess ecological validity, the methods, materials and setting of the study must approximate the real-life situation that is under investigation. Unlike internal
and external validity
, ecological validity is not necessary to the overall validity of a study.
(which deals with the ability of a study's results to generalize). While these forms of validity are closely related, they are independent--a study may possess external validity but not ecological validity, and vice-versa . For example, mock-jury research is designed to study how people might act if they were jurors during a trial, but many mock-jury studies simply provide written transcripts or summaries of trials, and do so in classroom or office settings. Such experiments do not approximate the actual look, feel and procedure of a real courtroom trial, and therefore lack ecological validity. However, the more important concern is that of external validity--if the results from such mock-jury studies generalize to real trials, then the research is valid as a whole, despite its ecological shortcomings. Nonetheless, improving the ecological validity of an experiment typically improves the external validity as well.
In the original meaning of this term however it would be impossible to refer to a study's 'ecological validity' since this can only be a property of stimuli used in a perceptual experiment. Brunswick first introduced this term but the popular use (meaning basically 'realistic') has overtaken it, at least in A Level Psychology circles. For the original (and some feel correct) use see the entry on 'ecological validity - perception' and especially the paper by Hammond, 1998, which is referred to there. This can be accessed at: http://www.albany.edu/cpr/brunswik/notes/essay2.html
Brunwick's term which is closer to the current 'pop' meaning of ecological validity is 'representative design'.
Validity (statistics)
In science and statistics, validity has no single agreed definition but generally refers to the extent to which a concept, conclusion or measurement is well-founded and corresponds accurately to the real world. The word "valid" is derived from the Latin validus, meaning strong...
in a research study. For a research study to possess ecological validity, the methods, materials and setting of the study must approximate the real-life situation that is under investigation. Unlike internal
Internal validity
Internal validity is the validity of inferences in scientific studies, usually based on experiments as experimental validity.- Details :...
and external validity
External validity
External validity is the validity of generalized inferences in scientific studies, usually based on experiments as experimental validity....
, ecological validity is not necessary to the overall validity of a study.
External vs. ecological validity
Ecological validity is often confused with external validityExternal validity
External validity is the validity of generalized inferences in scientific studies, usually based on experiments as experimental validity....
(which deals with the ability of a study's results to generalize). While these forms of validity are closely related, they are independent--a study may possess external validity but not ecological validity, and vice-versa . For example, mock-jury research is designed to study how people might act if they were jurors during a trial, but many mock-jury studies simply provide written transcripts or summaries of trials, and do so in classroom or office settings. Such experiments do not approximate the actual look, feel and procedure of a real courtroom trial, and therefore lack ecological validity. However, the more important concern is that of external validity--if the results from such mock-jury studies generalize to real trials, then the research is valid as a whole, despite its ecological shortcomings. Nonetheless, improving the ecological validity of an experiment typically improves the external validity as well.
In the original meaning of this term however it would be impossible to refer to a study's 'ecological validity' since this can only be a property of stimuli used in a perceptual experiment. Brunswick first introduced this term but the popular use (meaning basically 'realistic') has overtaken it, at least in A Level Psychology circles. For the original (and some feel correct) use see the entry on 'ecological validity - perception' and especially the paper by Hammond, 1998, which is referred to there. This can be accessed at: http://www.albany.edu/cpr/brunswik/notes/essay2.html
Brunwick's term which is closer to the current 'pop' meaning of ecological validity is 'representative design'.
See also
- external validityExternal validityExternal validity is the validity of generalized inferences in scientific studies, usually based on experiments as experimental validity....
- construct validityConstruct validityIn science , construct validity refers to whether a scale measures or correlates with the theorized psychological scientific construct that it purports to measure. In other words, it is the extent to which what was to be measured was actually measured...
- content validityContent validityIn psychometrics, content validity refers to the extent to which a measure represents all facets of a given social construct. For example, a depression scale may lack content validity if it only assesses the affective dimension of depression but fails to take into account the behavioral dimension...
- statistical conclusion validityStatistical conclusion validityStatistical conclusion validity refers to the appropriate use of statistics to infer whether the presumed independent and dependent variables covary...