PSY 2174 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Breast Cancer, Eye Color, Operational Definition

• School: University of Ottawa
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSY 2174
• Professor: Heather Poole

Document Summary

In psych they are less firm constructs. Can be thought of in different ways. How many times have you felt a sense of panic about your upcoming surgery. Record each time you experience a sense of panic. Can use different measure to obtain other data. Scores fall into a set of categories. Scores fall along a continuum, of numbers. Categories may be numbered, but only for identification. The only way to measure a qualitative variable. Categories are ordered along a numerical continuum but the difference between each rank is not equal. Breast cancer severity (stage i, ii, iii, iv) But the difference between each rank is equal, so that the intervals are evenly spaced. Comparison: same/different, order, relative difference (interval), relative ratio (ratio) Operational definitions: how will you define/measure your construct for your study: refer to observable and measurable characteristics. Do not refer to internal states, emotions, or motives.