Okuzeka
Psychology vocabulary · Research Methods and Statistics

Reliability

Meaning in psychology, with examples

/rɪˌlaɪəˈbɪləti/nounCore term

In psychology, reliability means: How consistent a measure is: a reliable test gives similar results when it is repeated, when different raters score it, or across its items.

In Turkish: güvenirlik, güvenilirlik

How it is used

A core term in psychometrics and method sections. Common types are test-retest reliability, inter-rater reliability and internal consistency, often reported as Cronbach's alpha. It is usually discussed together with validity.

Example sentences

  1. The scale showed good test-retest reliability over four weeks.

  2. Two coders rated each interview to check inter-rater reliability.

Common collocations

  • test-retest reliability
  • inter-rater reliability
  • internal reliability
  • reliability coefficient
  • validityThe extent to which a test really measures what it claims to measure, or to which a study's conclusions are justified by the way it was designed.
  • psychometricRelating to the measurement of psychological qualities such as intelligence, personality and symptoms, and to the methods used to check how good those measures are.
  • assessmentThe process of gathering information about a person through interviews, observation and tests in order to understand their difficulties and plan help.
  • replicateTo repeat a study, usually with new participants, to see whether the original findings appear again; a finding that appears again is also said to replicate.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Research Methods and Statistics

Practise with graded reading

Reading at the right level is the fastest way to make new words stick. Pick free English books by level:

This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.