PSY 313 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Heart Rate, Operational Definition
22 Jan 2018
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Defining and measuring variables: g and f text chapter 2 and 3. What is a theory: an idea about how the world works based on empirical data. Something we are using actual data to support it. Doesn t mean its 100% correct because we are always learning more. Developing a theory: a theory describes how constructs are related. A construct is the concept(s) of interest- not directly observable (ex. Developing a hypothesis: a hypothesis is a specific idea about the relation between constructs derived from the theory. To test the hypothesis, constucts must be defined: Operational definition: specifies how each construct will be measured. Turns constructs (not directly observable) into something measureable and observable. Details are very important, even when construct is simple. Experimental: establishing a cause-effect relationship between two or more variables. Need to know direction of that relationship and cause. Evaluate the impact of one variable on the other. Heart rate, height, cholesterol level, reaction time.
