CONVERGENT AND DISCRIMINANT VALIDITY OF THREE MEASURES OF ABILITY,ASPIRATION-LEVEL,ACHIEVEMENT, ADJUSTMENT AND DOMINANCE1

The convergent and discriminant validity of three measures of the concepts of aspiration level, ability, achievement, adjustment, and dominance were examined in the context of a multitrait-multimethod matrix. Self-reports and peer-reports on 75 Ss were employed as two measures of each trait. In addition, aspiration level was measured by the Edwards Personal Preference Schedule (EPPS) Nach scale, dominance by the EPPS (dom scale), achievement by cumulative college grade point ratio (GPR), ability by the Ohio State Psychological Examination (OSPE), and adjustment by the Bell Adjustment Inventory. Of the paper and pencil instruments, only the OSPE and EPPS (dominance scale) exhibited satisfactory convergent validity. No measure met all the requirements of discriminant validity. The desirability of establishing adequate validational evidence prior to using “trait” measures in studies relating theoretical variables was emphasized.