Priscilla wants to design a study that will let her look at whether people with high self-esteem are more likely to leave an unsatisfying relationship than those with low self-esteem.The only problem is that she can't look inside people's heads to see their degree of self-esteem.What should be her first step?
A) Create an operational definition that translates the abstract concept of self-esteem into something observable and measurable.
B) Find an assessment instrument that has already been used extensively by other researchers.
C) Find someone who has already studied self-esteem to work with.
D) Choose another topic.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Priscilla's first step should be to create an operational definition of self-esteem that can be observed and measured. This will allow her to identify participants who have high and low self-esteem and compare their relationship behavior. Finding an assessment instrument or working with someone who has already studied self-esteem may be helpful in later steps, but it is important to first define the concept she wants to measure. Choosing another topic is not necessary if she can create a valid operational definition.

Priscilla Wants to Design a Study That Will Let Her