PSYC 310 Chapter 3: PSYC310, Chapter 3
19 Sep 2018
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Variable: characteristics or conditions that change or have different values for different individuals. Hypothetical entities created from theory and speculation. Cannot be seen, but are assumed to exist. Help explain and predict behaviour in a theory. Ex: can"t measure your anxiety but can observe for increased heart rate or sweating. Constructs take an abstract/unobservable and turn it into something concrete/observable. Hard to measure intelligence so we created the iq test. A precise description of what you will measure, how you will measure it, and when you will measure it. Pro allows us to link the unobservable construct with the observable behaviours. Cons (1) sometimes leaves out important components of a construct and (2) often include extra components that are not part of the construct. A valid test will measure what it was supposed to measure. To establish validity, a measurement procedure must accurately capture the variable that it is supposed to measure.
