The Within‐Setting Variability of Validity in Cognitive Ability Tests

This study was directed to check the second prediction of the situational specificity hypothesis (SSH). According to this prediction, if the setting is held constant, then validity coefficients will not vary from study to study. This prediction was tested using data from a series of studies in which cognitive ability tests were used. These tests are subjected to a cultural bias that could affect the validity variability. The results are contrary to the second prediction of the SSH because a great variability was found in the validity coefficients within‐setting. However, the findings are consistent with the hypothesis of validity generalization (VGH) that predicts similar variability in both across settings and within‐setting. Also, the cultural context does not seem to affect the variability of validity and this variability is similar to that observed in previous studies of validity generalization.