GRAVETTER_CH01_VARIABLES AND MEASUREMENT

Question 1

What is the term for variables that are intangible and cannot be directly observed, such as anxiety, intelligence, empathy, etc.?

Answer 1

Constructs

Question 2

What identifies a measurement procedure (a set of operations) for measuring an external behavior and uses the resulting measurements as a definition and a measurement of a hypothetical construct?

Answer 2

Operational definition

Question 3

THINK! What are the two components of an operational definition?

Answer 3

1. It describes a set of operations for measuring a construct;
2. It defines the construct in terms of the resulting measurement

Question 4

What are two types of variables in accordance to how “fixed” they are?

Answer 4

Discrete and continuous.

Question 5

Which type of variable consists of separate, indivisible categories?

Answer 5

Discrete variable

Question 6

TRUE OR FALSE: Values between two neighboring categories may or may not exist for discrete variables.

Answer 6

FALSE.

No values can exist between two neighboring categories.

Question 7

Which type of variable is divisible into an infinite number of fractional parts?

Answer 7

Continuous variable.

Question 8

What is the term for the boundaries of intervals for scores that are represented on a continuous number line?

Answer 8

Real limits.

Question 9

THINK! Where exactly is the real limit separating two adjacent scores in a continuous number line?

Answer 9

It is located exactly halfway between the scores.

Question 10

TRUE OR FALSE: Each score in a continuous number line has two real limits.

Answer 10

TRUE.

Question 11

What are two real limits for a score termed?

Answer 11

The upper real limit (at the top of the interval) and the lower real limit (at the bottom)

Question 12

TRUE OR FALSE: Using discrete variables gives the researcher the freedom to choose the degree of precision or the number of categories.

Answer 12

FALSE.

This is for continuous variables.

Question 13

What are the four primary scales of measurement?

Answer 13

Nominal, ordinal, interval, ratio

Question 14

TRUE OR FALSE: Nominal scales that use numbers to identify would actually make these scales interval, ratio, or ordinal.

Answer 14

FALSE.

Not really. The numbers might not have to do with each other, period. Ya’ll can’t really say Hotel Room 101 is less than 102.

Question 15

TRUE OR FALSE: Ordinal scales consist of ranks in terms of size or magnitude.

Answer 15

TRUE.

Question 16

TRUE OR FALSE: An interval scale has an arbitrary zero point.

Answer 16

TRUE.

Question 17

THINK! What differentiates an interval from a ratio scale?

Answer 17

An interval scale has an arbitrary zero, meanwhile the ratio scale is anchored by a zero point that is a meaningful value representing none. The meaningful zero makes it possible to compare measurement in terms of ratios.