31.10.

2012

Variables Operational and Conceptual

Definitions
A variable is a characteristic of a person, place or a thing • Conceptual definition • Operational definition –
that can change (vary) over time or from one situation to – A dictionary definition; A precise definition of a
another. the common meaning of a construct based on how it
word will be measured or
manipulated in a study
E.g.: temperature, height, weight, etc…
Hunger A strong desire or
Almost anything can be considered a variable: need for food
Hungry: Experiencing a Hunger: Number of days
“Blond, S, M, 25,seeks, S, F, aged 20-26, for fun and friendship” desire or need for food. without a meal.

Operational and Conceptual

Defining Variables Definitions

Theoretical definitions • Conceptual definition • Operational definition –
– A dictionary definition; A precise definition of a

Define variables in abstract terms

Hunger – connection between reported feeling the common meaning of a construct based on how it
of hunger and sensory experience word will be measured or
manipulated in a study

Prejudice – premature judgment

Frustration – blocked goals Hunger A strong desire or

Depression – feeling sadness and despair, sleep need for food
and weight problems, lost interest Hunger: Number of days
Hungry: Experiencing a
desire or need for food. without a meal.
Rosnow/Rosenthal, Beginning Behavioral Research, 6/e. Copyright (c) 2008 by Prentice Hall.

Independent and Dependent

Defining Variables Variables

Operational definitions
Dependent Variable

Define variables in concrete terms
“The effect”

Specific way to measure or manipulate
What is measured
variables
Independent Variable

Hunger – stomach contractions

“The cause”

Prejudice – attitude scale

Frustration – interrupting play
What is manipulated

Depression – Beck Depression Inventory
Can occur in combinations (interactions)

Rosnow/Rosenthal, Beginning Behavioral Research, 6/e. Copyright (c) 2008 by Prentice Hall. Rosnow/Rosenthal, Beginning Behavioral Research, 6/e. Copyright (c) 2008 by Prentice Hall.

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Independent Variable Independent Variable

• IV’s have different levels
Variable that systematically varies across different – Levels tell you how many types of the IV are in a study
conditions in the experiment. – An IV must have at least 2 levels.
– Ex: Gender could be described as a single variable that
• It is what is manipulated in the experiment. has 2 levels (male, female)

Dependent Variable An Example

– Does birth order affect one’s ÖSS score?
Variable that is allowed to vary freely to see if it is
• Birth order is the IV; ÖSS score is DV
affected by changes in the independent variable • For this example, we will only be looking at first,
second and third born children. How many levels
• It is what is measured in the experiment.
would this IV have?

Confounds and Extraneous Confounds and Extraneous

Variables Variables
• Confound: Any extraneous variable that covaries • Students in the spaced practice group study for 1
(changes with) with the IV and could provide an hour on Monday, 1 hour on Wednesday, and 1 hour
alternative explanation of the results. on Friday morning
• An example: Suppose you are conducting an • Students in the massed practice group study for 3
hours on Thursday
experiment to see if spaced practice results in better
retention than massed practice • Everyone is tested on Friday afternoon.
• Is there anything besides my IV (type of study) that
might affect my results?

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Example-2
Example-1 A researcher was interested in the following hypothesis: people are
less likely to help others when they are preoccupied. To test this
For each of the following hypotheses, identify the prediction Dr. Batson asked students to rehearse a speech as they
walked across campus to deliver a lecture, while other students were
independent and dependent variable. Then give an
simply asked to walk across campus for the second part of a study.
example of how you would operationalize each
On the route to the other building a man was laying on the ground
variable. in need of help. Observers then recorded whether the passing
• People who are nervous perform poorly student stopped to assist the fallen man.
• Reading speed decreases as word length increases • What is the conceptual independent variable?
• Attractive people are more influential in debates • What is the conceptual dependent variable?
• People sleep better if they read before going to bed • What is the IV operationalization?
• Alcohol impairs judgment • What is the DV operationalization?

Example-3 Example-4
Nancy thinks that drivers would be more likely to allow a Riley wants to know if it is possible for people to show
member of the opposite sex to cross the street. She sets up signs of alcohol intoxication even when they haven’t
ingested any alcohol. She randomly assigns one group of
an experiment at an intersection using a male and female subjects to drink 4 beers with alcohol while another
friend as pedestrians. For every odd car (i.e., cars 1, 3, 5, group of subjects is given 4 non-alcoholic beers. Subjects
etc.) that comes by she has a member of the same sex are given one and a half hours to drink the beers. A
attempt to cross the street. For every even car (i.e., cars 2, control group of subjects is given an equivalent amount
of water to drink over the same time span. After each
4, 6, etc.) that comes by, a member of the opposite sex group has consumed their drinks, Riley has each subject
attempts to cross. Nancy counts the number of times that perform a paper and pencil maze task and measures the
pedestrian is allowed to cross the street. time it takes to complete the maze.
• What is the independent variable (IV) in this experiment? • What is the IV in this experiment?
• What are the levels of the IV?
• What are the levels of the IV?
• What is the dependent variable?
• What is the dependent variable?

Example-5
Bob is interested in whether his students perform Formulating a Hypothesis
better with only a mid-term and final during a
course or with several tests given throughout the • A good hypothesis should have the
semester. To test this, he administers a mid-term following features:
and final to Section-1 and six exams to Section-2. Plausible (credible)
At the end of the semester he compares final Testable
grades for each section.
Falsifiable (refutable)
• What is the IV in this experiment?
Operational definitions
• What are the levels of the IV?
• What is the dependent variable?

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Activity Activity

Identify the relevant independent and

Identify the relevant independent and dependent variables. Provide an
dependent variables. Provide an operational definition for each.,
operational definition for each.

Does taking vitamins increase brain

Do blondes have more fun? power?

Activity Activity

Identify the relevant independent and
Identify the relevant independent and
dependent variables. Provide an dependent variables. Provide an
operational definition for each. operational definition for each.

Does age affect how well you can
Does interacting with relatives cause
exercise? anxiety?

Activity Activity

Identify the relevant independent and
Identify the relevant independent and
dependent variables. Provide an dependent variables. Provide an
operational definition for each. operational definition for each.

Does living in close quarters increase
Does exposure to repeated

the desire to hurt others? disappointment result in sadness?

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Activity Activity

Identify the relevant independent and

Identify the relevant independent and dependent variables. Provide an
dependent variables. Provide an operational definition for each.
operational definition for each.

Do children have more behavioral

Is physical attractiveness related to problems when both parents have
arrogance? careers?

Activity Discussion Questions

What research topics in psychology interest

Identify the relevant independent and
you?
dependent variables. Provide an

What hypothesis can you form about
operational definition for each.
your topic?

Identify dependent and independent variables.

Do patient people take longer to get to
Make operational definitions.
the center of a tootsie roll pop?

Multiple Choice Questions for Multiple Choice Questions for

Review Review

Paul has suffered brain damage in a car accident. Dr.
A researcher at the University of Colorado is
interested in studying dynamics in small groups. She
Thaler, a specialist in internal medicine, studies Paul
begins by thinking that people in small groups relate
intensively, giving him many clinical interviews and
to each other much as the governments of large
tests to measure his cognitive functioning. Based on
countries relate to each other. She develops
his work with Paul, Dr. Thaler comes up with a
hypotheses about small-group dynamics by thinking
brilliant new hypothesis, which he and others can
about how people in small groups are similar to
test further in empirical research. We would say that
doctor’s hypothesis came about primarily through diplomats at the United Nations. Her hypothesis
came about

A) serendipity

A) attempting to resolve conflicting results

B) analogical thinking

B) improving on older ideas

C) an intensive case study

C) using analogical thinking

D) the examination of paradoxical incident

D) serendipity

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Multiple Choice Questions for

Review

A medical researcher at the university of Minesota
sets out to find a new treatment for cancerous brain
tumors. She accidentally discovers a treatment for
Parkinson’s disease, a disease that is totally unrelated
to cancer. Her new discovery has come about
through

A) improving on older ideas

B) using analogical thinking

C) examining intensive case studies

D) serendipity