discriminant validity

Discriminant validity is a measure used to show that a test or assessment is really measuring what it claims to measure, rather than something else. In the context of general knowledge, it ensures that a general knowledge test doesn’t just correlate with tests of similar skills, like reading ability or intelligence. For example, if someone excels in a general knowledge quiz, it should be because they have good knowledge across various topics, not just because they are good at understanding complex texts. This validates that the test accurately reflects general knowledge as its own distinct trait.