Validity Generalisation

What is Validity Generalisation?

Lead consultant at Test Partnership, Ben Schwencke, explains validity generalisation.

Validity generalisation refers to the extent to which the results of a study can be generalised to other populations or settings. In the context of criterion-related validity and job performance, it refers to the extent to which the results of a study on the relationship between a particular selection method (e.g. a test or interview) and job performance can be generalised to other jobs or organisations.

Validity generalisation is important because it allows practitioners to use the results of a study to make inferences about the relationship between a selection method and job performance in other contexts. For example, if a study on the concurrent validity of a selection method shows a strong relationship between the method and job performance in one organisation, practitioners may be able to infer that the method will also be related to job performance in other organisations. However, it is important to note that there is no guarantee that the results of a study will generalise to other populations or settings, and practitioners should use caution when making inferences based on validity generalisation.