Definitions of Key Terms

Definitions of Key Terms (-1)

Attributes (Values, Codes): Characteristics of person, things, or concepts.

Variable: Logical grouping of attributes. The variable is gender; the attributes are male/female. The variable is animal; the attributes are cat/dog/horse/rabbit. The variable is social class; the attributes are low/middle/high. The variable is prejudice; the attributes are high/medium/low.

Concepts: Mental images that summarizes a set of similar observations, feelings, or ideas.

Conceptualization: The mental process whereby fuzzy and imprecise notions (concepts) are made more specific and precise. Answers the question “What do you mean by (prejudice, love, social class ) A verbal description of a mental image.

Operationalization: One step beyond conceptualization. The process of developing operational definitions.

Operational definition: The concrete and specific definition in terms of the operations by which observations are to be categorized.

Hypothesis: A formal statement about the relationship between two (or more) variables

Validity: The degree to which we are measuring what we want to measure and what we think we are measuring.

Reliability The degree to which an instrument consistently measures the same thing in repeated observations.