A personality researcher administered her new measure of self-esteem to a group of participants. She waited two weeks and then gave the test to the same people again. She found that scores on the test changed quite a bit during the two-week period. Many participants who had scored low during the first administration scored high the second time, and many who had scored high initially scored low on the second administration. What problem does the researcher have with the new test?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The researcher's test has poor reliability, as the scores are not consistent over time. Reliability is the degree to which a measure can be trusted to produce consistent results. The fact that scores on the measure change quite a bit during the two-week period suggests that it is not very reliable, and therefore may not be a good measure of self-esteem.

A Personality Researcher Administered Her New Measure of Self-Esteem to a Group