ABSTRACT

Predictive power of many behavioral measures relies on high test-retest reliability, whereby a measure yields similar data when repeated measure administration occurs at spaced-out intervals. However, major environmental disruptions between measure administration may impact test-retest reliability. The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic caused just such a major environmental disruption. We collected impulsivity data via a delay discounting task before, during, and after this environmental disruption. Test-retest reliability was generally statistically significant throughout the study even as delay discounting rates changed in the expected direction between the two experimental groups. Importantly, non-significant correlation coefficients (i.e. poor test-retest reliability) typically occurred immediately after the environmental disruption. Participant’s anecdotal self-reports corroborated COVID-19’s temporary disruptive impact. Although not a planned manipulation, this data provides useful information about whether major environmental disruptions may impact test-retest reliability for events that may not be replicable during a controlled experiment. Social and behavioral scientists attempting behavioral measurement through well-validated measures should be aware of whether large environmental changes can affect measure reliability, and how long such a disruption may last.

摘要

许多行为测量的预测能力依赖于高重测可靠性，即当重复测量管理以间隔时间进行时，测量会产生相似的数据。然而，测量管理之间的主要环境中断可能会影响重测的可靠性。新型冠状病毒 (COVID-19) 大流行造成了如此严重的环境破坏。我们在环境破坏之前、期间和之后通过延迟贴现任务收集了冲动性数据。即使延迟贴现率在两个实验组之间的预期方向发生变化，重测信度在整个研究中通常具有统计学意义。重要的是，不显着的相关系数（即重测可靠性差）通常在环境破坏后立即发生。参与者的轶事自我报告证实了 COVID-19 的暂时破坏性影响。尽管不是计划中的操作，但该数据提供了有关重大环境破坏是否会影响在受控实验期间可能无法复制的事件的重测可靠性的有用信息。试图通过经过充分验证的措施进行行为测量的社会和行为科学家应该意识到大的环境变化是否会影响测量的可靠性，以及这种破坏可能持续多长时间。