What is the purpose of predictive validity?

The purpose of predictive validity is to assess whether the scores from a particular test accurately predict outcomes on other established measures or in real-world scenarios. This involves evaluating how well a test's results can forecast performance or behavior in a specific context.

For example, if a test of physical fitness is designed to predict an individual's ability to succeed in a sports program, high scores on that test should correlate with successful performance in that sports program. This critical form of validity helps ensure that the test being used is not merely theoretical, but practically applicable in predicting future outcomes, thus reinforcing its relevance and usefulness in assessing capabilities or potential.

The other options do refer to different aspects of validity assessments but do not capture the primary purpose of predictive validity. Measuring abstract concepts often relates more to conceptual frameworks rather than direct outcome predictions. Determining content coverage pertains to whether the test covers all necessary topics or areas, while assessing how well a test appears to measure a concept relates to face validity, which is a subjective measure of a test’s relevance.