BHV 390
Surveys
Operationalization of
Concepts
Operationalize means to make
measurable
You operationalize concepts by turning them into
measurable variables.
Variables are, by definition, measurable.
Surveys are made up of items collecting data on
concepts the researcher is studying.
Each item was chosen to operationalize a concept
into a particular type of variable.
Operationalization
in Surveys
• Validity
• Level of Data (Nominal, Ordinal,
Ratio)
• Exploratory, descriptive or
explanatory goal
• Amount of detail (number of options
in categorical items)
• Exhaustiveness of items
• Clarity
• Question, item format
• Participant competence
Kinds of Variables
General
Type
Specific
Type
Definition
Examples
Discrete
Nominal
Numbered for labeling
in a category based on
equality to or difference
from other members
of the category
African American
•Asian American
•Latino
•Euro-American
Continuous
Ordinal
Items are ranked with
no
standard interval
implied
by their ranking
1)First Place
2)Second Place
3)Third Place
(the distance between first and
second place, and second and
third place may be very
different from one another)
Continuous
Interval
Items are ranked with a
standard interval, but
without a standardized
zero point.
32 degrees Fahrenheit
64 degrees Fahrenheit
(32 does not imply twice as
cold as 64, and the Fahrenheit
and Centigrade have different,
non-standard zeros.
Continuous
Ratio
Items are ranked with a
standard interval based
on a standardized zero
point, and a ranking of
4implies exactly twice
that of 2.
Age in years
Exploratory, Descriptive or
Explanatory Goals
• Exploratory and Descriptive Goals
Demographic variables as descriptive
tools
Open ended questions, items to elicit the
point of view of participants
Survey vs. interview methodologies
• Explanatory Goals
Demographic variables as independent
variables
Closed- ended questions to collect
identical information from all
participants
General Kinds of
Measures
• Closed Ended
• Multiple Choice
• Matrix
• Open Ended
• Fill in the Blank
• Short Answer
• Contingency items
• Single Item
• Composite Measures
Ways to Operationalize
Single Item Measures
• Yes or no (nominal) c
• Mutually exclusive categories (nominal) c
• Fill in the blank with a category name
(nominal) o
• One item with Likert scale (ordinal) c
• Fill in the blank with a numerical answer
(ratio) o
Composite Measures
• Multiple equally weighted items added
together, called an index (ratio) c
• Multiple differently weighted items added
together, called a scale (ratio) c
C = closed-ended, O = open-ended
Nominal Data: Gender
Gender is a good example of a
nominal variable.
Sample item:
1. Gender (Please check the option
below that applies to you.)
_____Male
_____Female
Ordinal Data:
Socioeconomic Status
The categories below imply a
hierarchy of status moving from a
low of poverty level to a high of upper
class.
Sample Item:
2. Socioeconomic status. (Please check
the option below that applies to
you.).
___Poverty level
___Middle class
___Working class
___Upper class
Ratio Data: Age
Years represent a series of
measurement units that are
equally distant from one
another, and have a true zero
point.
Sample item:
4. Age _____ (Please fill in your
age in years.)
Multiple Item Continuous Data:
The State Trait Anger Inventory
(STAXI).
Each item is individually scored by the participants,
and then the individual scores are added together to
produce a total score.
Sample items:
For each of the ten items below, please circle the number that corresponds to how you
feel right now.
Not at all Somewhat Moderately so Very much so
5. I am furious.
0
1
2
3
6. I feel irritated.
0
1
2
3
7. I feel angry.
0
1
2
3
8. I feel like banging on the table. 0
1
2
3
9. I feel like hitting someone.
0
1
2
3
10. I feel like breaking things.
0
1
2
3
11. I feel like yelling at someone. 0
1
2
3
12. I am mad.
0
1
2
3
13. I am burned up.
0
1
2
3
14. I feel like swearing.
0
1
2
3
Amount of Detail in the Data
Four ways to measure age with varying
amounts of detail.
15. _____Age in months (Please fill in the child’s age in
months)
16. _____Age in years (Please fill in your age in years)
17. Age (Please check the category that applies to you.)
_____ 20-29
_____ 30-39
_____ 40-49
_____ 50-59
_____ 60-69
_____ 70-79
18. Life Stage (Please check the category that applies to
you.)
___Adolescent ___Young Adult ___Adult
Citizen
___Senior
Single Item Two Option
Measure
(Closed Format)
Sample item:
Please check the option that best fits
your experience.
19. I have been involved in a
physically abusive relationship.
_____ Yes
_____ No
Single-Item Multiple Option
Measure
(Closed Format)
Sample item:
Please check the option that best reflects your
ethnic background.
20. Ethnicity.
___African American ___Asian American
___Latino
___Euro American
___Native American
___Other: Please specify________________________
Single-Item Multiple Ordinal
(Closed Format)
Sample item:
Please check the option that best fits your
experience.
21.How many times have you been
involved in a
physically abusive romantic
relationship?
____ Never ____ 1 time ____ 2-5 times
____6-9 times ____10 or more times
Single Item Likert Scale
Measure
(Closed Format)
Sample item:
Please circle the option that best fits your
experience.
22. I usually eat when I am sad or
depressed.
Never True
1
Always True
2
3
4
5
Single Item Fill in the Blank
Measure
Sample items:
(Open Format)
23.What is your age in years? _______
24.What is your ethnicity?
___________________
Age in years is continuous
Ethnicity is nominal and discrete
Multiple Item Scale Score
Sample items from the Sexual Permissiveness Scale (Bauman
and Wilson 1976):
Please check the option that best reflects your opinion.
24. Sexual intercourse is acceptable for the male before marriage when he is in love.
_____ Agree
_____ Disagree
25. Sexual intercourse is acceptable for the male before marriage when he feels strong affection.
_____ Agree
_____ Disagree
26. Sexual intercourse is acceptable for the male before marriage even if he does not feel strong
affection.
_____ Agree
_____ Disagree
27. Sexual intercourse is acceptable for the female before marriage when she is in love.
_____ Agree
_____ Disagree
28. Sexual intercourse is acceptable for the female before marriage when she feels strong affection.
_____ Agree
_____ Disagree
29. Sexual intercourse is acceptable for the female before marriage even if she does not feel strong
affection.
_____ Agree
_____ Disagree
Scoring the Sexual
Permissiveness Scale
• A yes on questions 1 and 4 count 1 point each
• A yes on questions 2 and 5 count 2 point each
• A yes on questions 3 and 6 count 3 points each
Here having sex before marriage when you are
in love is less permissive than having sex
before marriage when you really like some
one; the most permissive scenario is to have
sex before marriage with someone for whom
you do not have strong feelings. These items
are differently weighted according to the
relative permissiveness of the item.
Bias in Questions
Example:
1. Don’t you think that women
should be stay-at-home moms?
___ Yes
___ No
Be careful that the questions
in your items do not contain
the answer you hope to get.
Double Barreled
Questions
Example:
2. Did you pay your state and
federal taxes last year?
___ Yes
___ No
There are two questions
contained in this item. It is
possible that a participant paid
federal but not state taxes or vice
versa. Be sure that you separate
out your questions so that there is
only one per item.
Contingency Questions
1. Are your parents currently married
to one another? _____ yes
_____ no
IF NO, GO TO # 4
2. How many years have they been
married? _____
3. Do you think they have a happy
marriage?
_____ yes
_____ no
GO TO # 5
4. When did your parent’s marriage
end?
_____
Matrix Items
A matrix format sometimes makes it
easier for participants to respond to a
set of items that all have the same
options. The section of the State-Trait
Anger inventory below is arranged in
a matrix format.
Not at all Somewhat Moderately so Very much so
5. I am furious.
0
1
2
3
6. I feel irritated.
0
1
2
3
7. I feel angry.
0
1
2
3
8. I feel like banging on the table. 0
1
2
3
9. I feel like hitting someone.
0
1
2
3
10. I feel like breaking things.
0
1
2
3
11. I feel like yelling at someone. 0
1
2
3
12. I am mad.
0
1
2
3
13. I am burned up.
0
1
2
3
14. I feel like swearing.
0
1
2
3
Steps in Constructing A Survey
• List all variables that you will measure
• Determine which of the formats above you will use for
each variable.
• Determine what level of data you will collect for each
variable.
• Organize the items for presentation on a survey
according to:
format
matrix or other clustering of items
contingency series
influence on each other
visual flow
• Pretest the survey on several individuals who will not be
participating in the survey for
comprehension
logical consistency
time
• Revise according to suggestion that enhance the
survey’s effectiveness
Study Guide
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Survey
Operationalization
Variable
Validity
Level of Data
Research goal
Amount of detail
Exhaustiveness of items
Clarity
Question/item format
Participant competence
Nominal data
Ordinal data
Ratio data
Discrete data
Continuous data
Open-ended
Closed-ended
Fill in the blank
Multiple choice
Contingency items
Matrix format
Short answer
Composite/multiple item measures
Index
Scale
Biased questions/items
Double-barreled questions/items
Pretesting the survey