CRIM 135 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Theoretical Definition, Mental Image, Operationalization

• School: Simon Fraser University
• Department: Criminology
• Course: CRIM 135
• Professor: Moira Aikenhead

Document Summary

Whether state(cid:373)e(cid:374)ts a(cid:271)out (cid:862)(cid:272)ause(cid:863) or (cid:373)easures are: correct (valid) or. Validity threats are possible sources of fake conclusions. Whether the 2 variables are statistically related to each other. Whether the relationship between the 2 variables is causal, not due to a 3rd variable. Before we can get to the validity of measures, there are number of things we need to cover first. We (cid:374)eed to u(cid:374)dersta(cid:374)d ho(cid:449) a (cid:862)(cid:373)easure(cid:863) relates to the (cid:272)o(cid:374)(cid:272)eptual e(cid:374)tit(cid:455) that (cid:449)e (cid:449)ish to study, or put the other way around. Because measurement is difficult and imprecise, researchers must try to describe the measurement process explicitly. We want to move from vague ideas of what we want to study to actually being able to recognize what we want to study. Constructs: words/symbols used to represent these mental images. E. g. aggression, punishment, chivalry, fear, delinquency, poverty, intelligence, racism, sexism, assault, deviance. Direct observables those things or qualities we can observe directly (color shape)