Which validity is most preferred by the EEOC?

The preferred type of validity by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is predictive validity. This type of validity focuses on how well a particular test or assessment predicts a candidate's future job performance. The EEOC emphasizes the importance of predictive validity because it aligns with their goal of ensuring that employment practices are based on evidence that they accurately assess candidates’ potential to succeed in a job.

Predictive validity is particularly important in the context of hiring decisions, as it provides a measurable way to evaluate the effectiveness of selection tools in identifying the right candidates. By demonstrating that a particular test effectively predicts job performance, employers can better substantiate that their hiring practices are fair and non-discriminatory.

In contrast, other forms of validity, while still relevant, do not focus as directly on the ability to forecast future performance based on assessment results. Content validity deals with how well the content of a test represents the job duties, construct validity assesses whether the test measures the intended psychological constructs, and concurrent validity examines the correlation between test scores and job performance at the same time. While all forms of validity play an important role in evaluating assessments, predictive validity holds particular significance in developing fair and effective employment practices.