Researchers who were interested in the effects of alcohol consumption on perceived attractiveness of members of the opposite sex randomly assigned participants to two groups. Each participant in the first group received a fruit flavored drink containing a set amount of alcohol and those in the second group received an identical tasting drink with no alcohol. Next, the participants viewed pictures of members of the opposite sex and rated their attractiveness on a scale of 1 to 10. Which of the following is an operational definition of perceived attractiveness?
A) awareness of attractiveness through the visual sense
B) providing pleasure or delight
C) participants' rating on a 1-to-10 scale in response to questions about the attractiveness of members of the opposite sex
D) awareness of and action upon one's attraction to a member of the opposite sex

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Perceived attractiveness is operationally defined as participants' rating on a 1-to-10 scale in response to questions about the attractiveness of members of the opposite sex. This operational definition allows researchers to quantify perceived attractiveness based on participants' subjective ratings, which can then be analyzed statistically to determine the effects of alcohol consumption on perceived attractiveness. The other options, such as awareness of attractiveness through the visual sense or providing pleasure or delight, do not provide a measurable or quantifiable operational definition of perceived attractiveness.

Researchers Who Were Interested in the Effects of Alcohol Consumption