A construct validity analysis of the concept of psychological literacy

ABSTRACT Objective Psychological literacy has become influential as a concept to promote the value of a psychology degree to potential students and employers, particularly in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. This influence is based upon an assumption that the concept of psychological literacy is valid. The objective of this paper is to examine relevant literature, identifying possible issues in providing evidence of validity for the construct. Method Messick’s unified validity framework was utilised to evaluate threats to the overall construct validity of psychological literacy. Broad literature such as empirical and case studies, reports, and opinion papers were included as sources for analysis. A content analysis was conducted to determine the level of consensus for proposed psychological literacy attributes. Results There was limited consensus for most attributes in the examined literature, which compromises construct validity according to Messick’s framework. However, five terms were cited in most papers. Consolidating these terms provides a conceptualisation of psychological literacy as the ability to apply scientific principles to psychology concepts in work and personal contexts. Conclusion Possible solutions to resolve construct validity threats are offered. Refining the concept requires further exploration of perceptions among key stakeholders such as psychology teachers, students, and employers. KEY POINTS What is already known about this topic: A substantial body of literature has been published that discusses the construct of psychological literacy, but limited research (n=7) has measured the construct. A systematic narrative review of psychological literacy detailed concerns over multiple conceptualisations in studies that measured the construct. These prior findings revealed a need to evaluate the validity of the construct. What this topic adds: This paper addresses the need for a construct validity assessment as identified in a previous systematic review. The validity assessment includes broader literature that was not included in the previous systematic review of measurement studies. A roadmap for future research is provided, identifying areas that must be addressed for the construct of psychological literacy to have validity.