A response to Antonakis and Dietz: Looking for validity or testing it?

Abstract

Warwick, Nettelbeck, & Ward (2010) have claimed that the Ability Emotional Intelligence Measure (AEIM) provides a reliable and valid measure of abilities-based emotional intelligence. Antonakis and Dietz (2010) questioned whether the statistical analyses undertaken in relation to the AEIM was valid. The central issue raised by Antonakis and Dietz (2010) is whether the Warwick et al. (2010) study was testing validity or looking for it. To address this issue, the present authors present their arguments for the reasonableness of testing the AEIM via hierarchical regression analyses, and extreme group analyses. © 2010 Elsevier Ltd.