What is the difference between reliability and validity?

Reliability is about whether the same result would be found if the experiment was repeated. An experiment must be replicable if it is to be reliable. One way to remember this is 'reliability requires replicability'.

On the other hand. validity is about whether the experiment is measuring what it says it is measuring. You can have a test that is very reliable, which suggests good things about the experiment, but the test may not actually have validity - it may be testing a completely different pattern/relationship. 

PH
Answered by Phoebe H. Psychology tutor

24728 Views

See similar Psychology A Level tutors

Related Psychology A Level answers

All answers ▸

Discuss one strength and one limitation of the biological approach (4 marks)


Describe the different types of extraneous variables.


Briefly outline how cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is used to treat schizophrenia and explain one limitation pf using CBT to treat schizophrenia


Identify two descriptive statistics and explain how the descriptive statistics you have identified could be calculated (4 marks)


We're here to help

contact us iconContact ustelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

MyTutor is part of the IXL family of brands:

© 2026 by IXL Learning