What is considered the lowest form of test validity?

Face validity is often regarded as the lowest form of test validity because it refers to the extent to which a test appears, at face value, to measure what it is intended to measure. This form of validity is largely subjective and is based on the perception of the test takers or evaluators rather than on rigorous statistical evidence or theoretical justification.

Essentially, a test could have high face validity if it looks reasonable to the people taking it, but this does not guarantee that it effectively measures the intended skills or knowledge. It relies heavily on the opinions of individuals, which can be influenced by a variety of factors, such as biases or lack of familiarity with the content being assessed.

In contrast, other forms of validity, such as technical content or job content validity, require more thorough evaluation of how well the test aligns with the actual skills needed for performance in a specific context. Currency refers to how up-to-date the testing material is, which is more about the relevance of the content rather than its validity. Therefore, face validity stands out as the least rigorous and reliable form of demonstrating validity in a testing scenario.