Variables & Concepts

Moazzam Ali
Concepts
 Concepts are highly subjective as their understanding varies
from person to person, and therefore, may not be
measurable. In a research study it is important that the
concepts used should be operationalised in measurable terms
so that the extent of variation in respondents’ understanding
is reduced not eliminated.
 Measurability is the main difference between a concept and a
variable.
Concept—an Abstraction of Reality
 Table, leadership, productivity, morale are all labels given to
some phenomenon (reality) 
 Concepts stand for phenomenon not the phenomenon itself.
 It may be called an abstraction of empirical reality.
Concepts, Indicators & Variables
 If you are using a concept in your study, you need to consider
its operataionalization, that is, how it will be measured. In
most cases, to operationalise a concept you first need to go
through the process of identifying indicators—a set of
criteria reflected of the concept—which can then be
converted into variables.
 Concepts, Indicators & Variables
Example
 The concept ‘Richness’ can easily be converted into indicators
and then variables. To decide objectively if a person is ‘rich’, one
first needs to decide upon the indicators of richness.
 Assume we decide upon income and assets as the indicators.
 Income is also a variable since it can be measured in dollars,
therefore, you need not to convert this into a variable. Although
the assets owned by an individual are indicators of his/her
‘richness’, they still belong to the category of concepts.You need
to look further at the indicators of assets. For example, house,
boat, car and investments are indicators of assets.
 Variable
 A central idea in research.
 Variable is a concept that varies.
 Anything (concept/term) that can take on differing or varying values.
 Variation can be in quantity, intensity, amount, or type. Examples
 Production units, Absenteeism, Gender, Religion, Motivation, Grade,
Age.
Variable
 ‘If it exists, it can be measured’ (Babbie 1989:105)
 Variables represent concepts. Like concepts, variables are
defined in words, but, as used in social research, variables
have a special characteristic. Variables have two or more
observable forms or values.
Concept and Variables
Concept Variable
Effectiveness Sex (male/female)

Satisfaction Income (Rs……)

Impact Age

Self esteem Height

Quality Weight
 Variables & Attributes
 An attribute is a specific value on a variable. For instance,
the variable sex or gender has two attributes: male and female.
Or, the variable agreement might be defined as having five
attributes:
 1 = strongly disagree
 2 = disagree
 3 = neutral
 4 = agree
 5 = strongly agree
Types of Variables
 Independent variable is the cause supposed to be responsible
for bringing about change/s in a phenomenon or situation.
 Dependent variable is the outcome of the change/s brought
about by changes in an independent variable
 Extraneous variables are the several others factors operating in
real-life situation may affect changes attributed to independent
variables. These factors, not measured in the study, may increase
or decrease the magnitude or strength of the relationship between
independent and dependent variables.
Types of Variables

 Intervening variables are sometimes called the

confounding variables. They link independent and dependent
variable. In some situations the relationship between
independent and dependent variables cannot be established
without the intervention of another variable. The cause
variable will have the assumed effect only in the presence of
an intervening variable.
Independent, Dependent and Extraneous
Variables in Causal Relationship
Independent Extraneous Dependent
Variable Variables Variable
Age of the person

Extent of smoking
Smoking Cancer
Extent of Exercise

(Assumed Sex (male/female) (Assumed

cause) effect)
Education
Thank You