Publication on Multiplicity in the Concept of Validity

The paper “Multiple Historic Trajectories Generate Multiplicity in the Concept of Validity” by Yingying Han, is published in the journal Perspectives on Science. The paper results from Yingying’s PhD project on philosophical analysis of validity. Abstract: Although researchers agree on the importance of validity, they have not yet reached a consensus on what validity consists of. This article traces the historic trajectories of validity theory development in three research traditions: psychometrics, experiment in social settings, and animal models of psychiatric disorders, showing that the multiplicity in the concept of validity is shaped by its multiple historic trajectories and reflects the diversity of practices and concerns in different research traditions. It is argued that specifying validity of what target practice and for what purpose in discussions helps to connect validity to its rich context that gives rise to its specific meaning and relevance. 

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