Chapter 6: Measurement of variables: operational definition

1. Measurement is the assignment of numbers or other symbols to characteristics of objects

according to a pre-specified set of rules.
*a. T
b. F

2. Objects include:
*a. Persons, strategic business units, and companies.
b. Countries, cars, and arousal seeking tendency.
c. Elephants, kitchen appliances, and shopping enjoyment.
d. Restaurants, shampoo, and service quality.

3. Examples of characteristics of objects are:

a. Length, weight, and country.
b. Arousal seeking tendency, strategic business unit, and shopping enjoyment.
*c. Service quality, conditioning effects, and taste.
d. Restaurants, shampoo, and service quality.

4. Attributes of objects that can be physically measured by some calibrated instruments pose
no measurement problems.
*a. T
b. F

5. Reduction of abstract concepts to render them measurable in a tangible way is called

operationalizing the concepts.
*a. T
b. F

6. Operationalizing is done by looking at the behavioral dimensions, facets, or properties

denoted by the concept. These are then translated into observable and measurable
elements so as to develop an index of measurement of the concept.
*a. T
b. F

7. Operationalizing a concept involves a series of steps.

1. Come up with a definition of the construct.
2. Develop a response format.
3. Assess the validity and reliability of the measurement scale.
4. Develop an instrument (one or more items or questions) that actually measures the
concept that one wants to measure.
What is the correct order?
a. 1-4-2-3.
b. 4-2-1-3.
c. 4-2-3-1.
d. 3-1-4-2.

8. Operationalizing a concept consists of delineating the reasons, antecedents, consequences,

or correlates of the concept.
a. T
*b. F
9. You cannot measure objects; you measure _____________ of objects.
a. Elements.
b. Dimensions.
c. Antecedents.
*d. Attributes.

10. Operationalizing is:

a. Designing questionnaires.
b. Translating a problem definition into a research question.
*c. Making an abstract concept measurable.
d. Defining difficult concepts in the research proposal.

11. A father measures the length of his son.

Which of the following statements is correct?
a. The son is the object; the length is the attribute.
b. The father is the object; the length is the attribute.
c. The son is the object; the tape measure is the attribute.
d. Length is the object; the tape measure is the attribute.

12. Which of the following variables has to be operationalized?

a. Thirst.
b. Age.
c. Gender.
d. None of the above.

13. Verbal aggression is a __________ of aggression.

a. Dimension
b. Correlate.
c. Attribute.
d. None of the above.

14. A variable or construct must always be directly observable.

a. T
*b. F

15. Operationalizing a variable precedes defining a variable.

a. T
*b. F

16. Which of the following answers is a concept?

a. Desk.
b. Plant.
c. Chair.
*d. All of the above.

17. The construct hunger is a typical example of a construct that must be operationalized
because it is an abstract and subjective concept.
*a. T
b. F