MEASUREMENT

OF VARIABLES:
OPERATIONAL DEFINITION
 Theory:
Overarching framework

Hypotheses:
Predictions about phenomena

Directional Non-directional

Conceptual definitions

Operational definitions
Concepts
• A concept is an abstraction formed from “generalizations” from “particular
observations”.

• For example, the concept of Academic Achievement is abstracted (i.e.

generalized) from activities that children must learn in school.

oReading, writing, calculation, drawing pictures, etc. are the educational

activities that children must learn/ master.

oThe concept, Academic Achievement, captures the variety of

activities/behaviors and the mastery of these activities/ behaviors in a single
phrase/word.
Consep
• Konsep merupakan ekspresi suatu abstraksi yang terbentuk melalui
generalisasi dari pengamatan terhadap fenomena-fenomena.
• Contoh:
• Prestasi akademik merupakan abstraksi dari kemampuan belajar
mahasiswa.
• Tingkat abstraksi konsep tergantung dari mudah atau tidaknya
fenomena yang diabstraksikan dapat diidentifikasikan.
• Contoh:
• Tanah adalah konsep aktiva tetap yang berujud dan secara fisik
mudah dikenali
• Aktiva Tetap adalah lebih general
• Sehingga aktiva merupakan konsep yang lebih abstrak daripada
tanah.
Constructs
• A construct is a concept.
oTypically the most abstracted level of a concept: a word
oConstructs may also have a specific scientific purpose or systematic use

• An example of a construct is Intelligence.

• Intelligence is a concept generalized from / is an abstraction of observations of

behaviors related to knowledge, skill, and aptitude.

• Scientists consciously created the construct of Intelligence and use it for specific/
systematic purpose.
In order to communicate with others and carry out research, we must define
concepts explicitly

We need conceptual definitions in order to communicate the meaning of a concept

(e.g. worry vs. anxiety)

But, we need operational definitions in order to specify how the concept will be
captured and measured (operations used to attain them)

Conceptualizing is the process of defining to the point of operationalizing.

Operationalizing is making the concept measurable

Operational definitions make the constructs being studied transparent and

possible misinterpretations of results
 Measurement: OPERATIONALIZATION OF VARIABLES

• Operationalizing is done by looking at the behavioral dimensions denoted by the

concepts
• An operationalization does not consists of delineating the reasons, antecedents,
consequences or correlates of the concepts
• An operationalization does not describe the correlates of the concept
• An Operational Definition assigns meaning to concept or to a variable by
specifying the activities or “operations” necessary to measure it and evaluate the
measurement.
• A Measured Operational Definition describes how a variable will be
measured.
Measurement Of Variable: Operational Definition
• Operational Definition: • VARIABEL
- Operational Definition
How an abstract
- Dimensions
concepts are - Elements

operationalized by • DIMENSIONS:
• Uni dimensional
using observable & • Multi dimensional

measurable elements
• ELEMENTS:
• Elements of dimension 1
• Elements of dimension 2
Operational Definition: Dimension
• Dimension:
• Part or aspect of a concept
• Component of a concept

Concept:
Love
Dimensions:

Take & Give Commitment

Passion
Dimension
Variable Aggression: (Concept)

- Verbal aggression: (Dimensions)

- Shouting
(Elements)
- Swearing

- Physical aggression (Dimensions)

- Throwing
- Hitting (Elements)
Operational Definitions of “Income”

• Income = Individual’s (or couple’s) gross annual income before

taxes, as reported on tax return.

• “Would you say your income last year was between: 0 – 19,999;
20,000 – 39,999; 40,000 – 49,999….”

• Total family income from all sources

 OPERATIONALIZATION OF VARIABLES

• An operationalization does not describe the correlates of the

concept

• An operationalization does not consists of delineating the reasons,

antecedents, consequences or correlates of the concepts
MEASUREMENT OF VARIABLE
- VARIABEL
- OPERATIONAL DEFINITION
- DIMENSIONS
- ELEMENTS
 OPERATIONALIZATION OF VARIABLES:
DIMENSIONS & ELEMENTS

• DIMENSIONS:
• Uni dimensional
• Multi dimensional

• ELEMENTS:
• Elements of dimension 1
• Elements of dimension 2
OPERATIONALIZATION OF VARIABLES

•An operationalization does not describe the

correlates of the concept
•An operationalization does not consists of
delineating the reasons, antecedents,
consequences or correlates of the concepts
HOW VARIABLES ARE MEASURED
•PHYSICALLY MEASURED BY SOME CALIBRATED
INSTRUMENTS

•ABSTRACT & SUBJECTIVE ATTRIBUTES

 Types of Quantitative Data
• Continuous data
can take on any value in a given interval. Continuous data values
results from some continuous scale that covers a range of values
without gaps, interruptions, or jumps.

• Discrete data
can take on only particular distinct values and not other values in
between. The values in discrete data is either a finite number or a
countable number.
•Discontinuous (Discrete)
•Discontinuous:
Measurement: variables for which
values can only be whole 1, 2, 3, -1, -2, -3
numbers (integers)

•Continuous Measurement: •Continuous:

variables that can assume any
value (real numbers) 1.5, 2.25, 3.775,
4.0135, 5 ½, 6
•Hint: If it can be broken down into
decimal points, it is continuous ¾
SCALES:

1. NOMINAL SCALES

2. ORDINAL SCALES

3. INTERVAL SCALES

4. RATIO SCALES
Summarizes The Possible Data Types And Levels Of Measurement.

Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc.

TYPES OF QUALITATIVE MEASUREMENTS
• Nominal level of measurement—classifies data into names,
labels or categories in which no order or ranking can be
imposed. Example—the number of courses offered in each of
the different colleges.

• Ordinal level of measurement—classifies data into categories

that can be ordered or ranked, but precise differences between
the ranks do not exist. Generally it does not make sense to do
calculations with data at the ordinal level. Example—letter
grades of A, B, C, D, and F.
TYPES OF QUANTITATIVE MEASUREMENTS
• Interval level of measurement—ranks data, precise differences
between units of measure exist, but there is no meaningful zero. If a
zero exists, it is an arbitrary point. Example—IQ scores, it makes sense to
talk about someone having an IQ 20 points higher than another
person, but an IQ of zero has no meaning.

• Ratio level of measurement—has all the characteristics of the interval

level, but a true zero exists. Also, true ratios exist when the same
variable is measured on two different members of the population.
Example—weight of an individual. It makes sense to say that a 150 lb
adult weighs twice as much as a 75 lb. child.
Four levels of Measurements
• Nominal
• Measures categories

• Ordinal
• Categories + rank and order

• Interval
• Equal distance between any two consecutive measures

• Ratio
• Intervals + meaningful zeros

23
Scales of Measurement
• Nominal: classification
• Ordinal: ranking
• Interval: equal intervals
• Ratio: absolute zero

Scale Classification Order Equal Intervals Zero

Nominal Yes No No No
Ordinal Yes Yes No No
Interval Yes Yes Yes No
Ratio Yes Yes Yes Yes
Nominal Measurement
• Nominal: observations are put into
categories based on some criterion;
Classifies; categorizes
• Dichotomous Variable: has two values; e.g.
male/female, yes/no
• Multichotomous: has more than two values;
e.g. ethnicity, marital status
• No numerical value (even when observations
are numbers)
• Permissible arithmetic operations: counting
Ordinal Measurement
• Ordinal: a basic form of quantitative
measurement that indicates a
numerical order; the intervals between
adjacent scale values are undetermined
or unequal.
• Examples: team/individual standing, socioeconomic status,
level of education, Likert scales, any type of rating or
ranking
• Permissible arithmetic operations: greater than/less than
Interval Measurement
• Interval: intervals between adjacent scale
values are equal; scale has an arbitrary
zero
• Hint: If score can go below zero, or if no true zero
exists, measurement is interval.
• Examples: Celsius and Fahrenheit
temperature scales, IQ scores, most
psychological measures
• Permissible arithmetic operations: addition,
subtraction, multiplication, division; cannot
make ratio statements
Ratio Measurement
• Ratio: a measurement scale that has equal units of
measurement and a rational zero point for the scale
(absolute zero)
• Hint: An absolute zero indicates a complete absence of the
attribute being measured.
• Examples: Kelvin temperature
scale, income in dollars, length,
area or volume, height, weight
• Permissible arithmetic operations:
any, including ratios
The Hierarchy of Levels

Ratio Absolute zero

Interval Distance is meaningful

Ordinal Attributes can be ordered

Nominal Attributes are only named; weakest

Measurement:
Validity and Reliability
•Validity: How well does the measure or design do
what it purports to do?

•Reliability: How consistent or stable is the

instrument?
•Is the instrument dependable?
 •Reliability is:

•Stability and consistency of the measuring

instrument.
•Degree to which measures are free from
random error and, therefore, provide consistent
data.
•the degree to which an instrument measures
the same way each time it is used under the
same condition with the same subjects
© A. Taylor
Do not duplicate without author’s
permission 31
 What in the world is a measurement instrument?

• Any tool that you use to measure with…

• What “instrument” might you use to measure the following items?

1. How heavy the apples are a scale

2. How hot the meat is a meat thermometer

3. How much orange juice there is

a measuring cup

4. How tall the wall is

© A. Taylor
Do not duplicate without author’s
permission 32
a yardstick
 More on Instruments
What would the following instruments measure?

The size of
someone’s foot

The perfect amount

Eyesight of spaghetti!
© A. Taylor
Do not duplicate without author’s
permission 33
More on Instruments
Often there are many different instruments that could
be used to measure the same thing.
Take distance for example…

Or an odometer Or walk it with a

Measure it out on a map
You could use a pedometer
measuring tape

© A. Taylor
Do not duplicate without author’s
permission
You can count paces
Use a distance wheel 34
What instrument you choose depends on several
factors
© A. Taylor
Do not duplicate without author’s permission

• Ease of use – do you know how to use it?

I still can’t figure out my pedometer.
• Access – do you have access to the instrument?
Where do you get a distance wheel from? What if you don’t have a car –
and therefore no odometer?
• Appropriateness – is it the best tool for what you are
measuring?
You wouldn’t use a ruler to measure the distance from here to Ohio; you
wouldn’t use an odometer to measure the length of a room.
• Accuracy – how precise do your measurements have to
be?
Counting paces is easy and cheap but only an estimate.
• Cost – how expensive is it to use the instrument or interpret
the results?
You can also use a laser but that can be really expensive. 35
 Reliability
• Imagine that you are using a ruler
to measure a book

And it measures about 7 inches across

What do you think would happen if you

waited 10 minutes and measured the
book again, how long would it be then?
…Probably still 7 inches
What if you shook it up
Now what would it say?
…Probably still 7 inches
© A. Taylor
Do not duplicate without author’s
permission 36
 Reliability
• Your ruler…

• was consistent

• measured the same way each time it was used

under the same condition with the same object

The book did not change and therefore the ruler

reported back the same measurement

Your ruler is RELIABLE

© A. Taylor
Do not duplicate without author’s
permission 37
Validity
•The accuracy of the measure in reflecting the
concept it is supposed to measure.
 Reliable but not Valid
• Remember our reliable ruler?

Can it measure how how full the

loud the radio is? glass is?

The ruler may be reliable (and perhaps

even valid) but not in these situations! how smart
It is only valid for measuring length. the girl is?
© A. Taylor
Do not duplicate without author’s
permission 39
 Putting Reliability and Validity Together

•Reliability
•How consistent it is given the same conditions

•Validity
•If it measures what it is supposed to and how
accurate it is
© A. Taylor
Do not duplicate without author’s
permission 40
Reliability and Validity Situations in
Measurement
Situation 1 Situation 2 Situation 3
. .........
. .
. .
. . . .. ..
..

. .
.
.
Neither reliable Highly reliable Highly reliable
nor Valid but not valid and valid