Operational Definitions Science requires observation of variables Some variables are easy to observe or measure. –Height –Weight But most variables that we are interested in psychology are more abstract. –Known as hypothetical constructs

Hypothetical constructs Even concepts that might seem pretty straight forward can be tricky –Mother –Hunger And some are even more abstract –Intelligence –Love

Operational definitions Psychologists often want to measure hypothetical constructs To do so we must create measurement rules for those variables –Known as operational definitions Must be easily observed Typically involving a behavior –Remember psychology is the science of human behavior

Operationally defining variables for the content analysis For your content analysis you will need an operational definition for your predictor variable. –Many of the articles I gave you to read used gender as a predictor variable. How would you operationally define Gender? –Category checked on a survey –Gender category used as identifier on online dating site –Physical attributes

Operationally defining variables for the content analysis Must be mutually exclusive –One or the other (male or female) Pretty straight forward

Operationally defining variables for the content analysis You will also need to operationally define the criterion variable. This is often more difficult. Gender differences in mate selection. How would you determine? –Seeking Success attributes –Seeking Physical attributes Remember – must be mutually exclusive categories for our content analysis.

Could keep track if ad “mentioned” several traits. –From Davis article Attractive – specified partner should be, for example, pretty or handsome Physique –define Interested in sex – define Asked for picture - define Financial - define Education - define Intelligence - define Profession – define

Rules –1 point if mentioned –No multiple counts –If more physical traits mentioned than success categorized as physical –No ties (throw out if occurs)