Construct validation: The importance of construct-method distinction

Abstract

The present study addressed an important issue in the construct validation of numerical reasoning ability tests by examining important systematic effects among gender, verbal ability, numerical reasoning ability, general cognitive ability, and performance on a numerical reasoning test using 124 psychology undergraduates (62 males and 62 females). Based on the rationale of the construct-method distinction (Chan & Schmitt, 1997), reading requirement was identified as a source of method variance and manipulated in the experiment. Results showed that gender subgroup differences in numerical reasoning test were significantly smaller when reading requirement was high than when reading requirement was low. The Gender x Reading Requirement interaction effect was a result of systematic gender subgroup differences in verbal ability. Implications and limitations of the findings are discussed in relation to adverse impact and reverse discrimination.