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A researcher is developing a new subscale for the MMPI-2 to measure social anxiety. They find that individuals with high social anxiety frequently answer 'True' to the statement 'I prefer drinking tea over coffee.' Apply the measurement logic of the MMPI-2 to explain why the researcher might keep this item on the assessment even though it has nothing to do with socializing.
Question: A researcher is developing a new subscale for the MMPI-2 to measure social anxiety. They find that individuals with high social anxiety frequently answer 'True' to the statement 'I prefer drinking tea over coffee.' Apply the measurement logic of the MMPI-2 to explain why the researcher might keep this item on the assessment even though it has nothing to do with socializing.
Sample answer: The researcher would keep the item because the MMPI-2 does not require face validity or a literal connection between the statement and the trait. As long as the overall pattern of responses, including answering 'True' to the tea question, consistently helps identify the presence of social anxiety, the item is useful for measurement.
Key points:
- Applies the concept that face validity is unnecessary for the measure to function.
- Explains that the literal content of the item does not matter.
- Focuses on how the pattern of responding is used to identify the trait.
Rubric: The answer must demonstrate application of the MMPI-2's logic by stating that literal relevance (face validity) is not required, and that the item is retained because the response pattern differentiates the trait.
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Research Methods in Psychology - 4th American Edition @ KPU
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