Final answer:
The concept that ensures the accuracy and relevance of what measurements and tests claim to represent is called validity. It includes different forms such as ecological, construct, and face validity. Valid measures are always reliable, but reliability alone doesn't guarantee validity.
Step-by-step explanation:
The idea that concepts and measurements accurately represent what they claim to represent is referred to as validity. Validity ensures that a measure or test is measuring what it is supposed to measure. For example, in science, we rely on observations and experiments, where accuracy and precision in measurement are crucial.
If you are measuring the length of a standard computer paper, and it states that it is 11.0 inches long, measurements like 11.1 in., 11.2 in., and 10.9 in. indicate high accuracy because they are close to the accepted value. However, validity goes beyond accuracy; it also encompasses the consistency and relevance of the measurement to the concept it intends to represent.
It’s important to remember that while a valid measure is necessarily reliable, a reliable measure might not be valid if it doesn’t measure what it is intended to measure. Validity can be expressed in different forms, including ecological validity, construct validity, and face validity among others.