VARIABLES
A VARIABLE CAN BE IDENTIFIED AS
• AN IMAGE
• PERCEPTION
• CONCEPT
THAT IS CAPABLE OF MEASUREMENT.
KERLINGER - “VARIABLE IS A PROPERTY THAT TAKES ON DIFFERENT VALUES, A
VARIABLE IS A SYMBOL TO WHICH NUMERALS OR VALUES ARE ATTACHED”.
BLACK & CHAMPION - “RATIONAL UNIT OF ANALYSIS THAT CAN ASSUME ANY ONE OF A
NUMBER OF DESIGNATED SETS OF VALUES”.
CONCEPTS & VARIABLES
• CONCEPTS ARE IDENTIFIED AS
• MENTAL IMAGES
• PERCEPTION
CONCEPTS ARE SUBJECTIVE IMPRESSIONS AND THEIR
UNDERSTANDING MAY DIFFER FROM PERSON TO PERSON,
WHICH IF MEASURED, WOULD CAUSE PROBLEMS IN
COMPARING RESPONSES.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CONCEPTS AND
VARIABLES
Concept Variable
Effectiveness Gender [Male/Female]
Satisfaction Age
Impact Income
Excellent Weight
High Achiever Height
Self Esteem Religion
Rich
Domestic Violence
Pattern of alcohol consumption
Attitude
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CONCEPTS AND
VARIABLES
Concept Variable
- Subjective impression - Measurable though the degree of
- No uniformity as to its understanding precision varies from scale to scale and
among different people from variable to variable (e.g., attitude,
- As such cannot be measured subjective, income objective)
INTERRELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
CONCEPTS, VARIABLES & INDICATORS
FOR EVERY CONCEPT, WE NEED TO CONSIDER ITS OPERATIONALIZATION
WHILE INDICATORS ARE THE SET OF CRITERIA REFLECTIVE OF THE
CONCEPTS
WHICH CAN THEN BE CONVERTED INTO VARIABLES.
CONVERTING CONCEPTS INTO VARIABLES
Concepts Indicators Variables
Some concepts, such as ‘rich’ can easily be
converted into indicators and then variables.
Concepts Indicators Variables Decision level
Rich 1. Income 1. Income per year 1. If > $100 000
2. Assets 2. Total value of home, 2. If > $250 000
investments, cars, etc.
High academic 1. Average marks 1. Percentage of marks 1. If > 75%
achievement obtained in 2. Percentage of marks 2. If > 75%
examinations 3. Percentage of marks 3. If > 85%
2. Average marks
obtained in practical
work
3. Aggregate marks
Effectiveness of 1. No. of patients 1. Number of patients Whether the difference in before
a health program 2. Changes in mortality serviced in a and after levels is statistically
month/year significant
2. Change in death rate
Point-prevalence increase or
decrease in each variable as
decided by researcher or other
experts
TYPES OF
FROM THE VIEWPOINT OF VARIABLES
:
• THE CAUSAL MODEL
• THE STUDY DESIGN
• THE UNIT OF MEASUREMENT
FROM THE VIEWPOINT OF THE
CAUSAL MODEL
1. INDEPENDENT VARIABLES
2. INTERVENING VARIABLES
3. EXTRANEOUS VARIABLES
4. DEPENDENT VARIABLES
SMOKING CANCER
(Assumed cause) (Assumed effect)
Independent Dependent variable
variable
Affect the relationship
•The age of the person
•The extent of their smoking
•The duration of smoking
•The extent of daily exercise etc.
Extraneous variables
Organizational
Factors
Intervening
variables-
Mediating Role
Leadership Performance
Independent Dependent
variable variable
•Gender
•Level of education
•Socioeconomic status
•Age
•Religion, etc.
Extraneous variables-
Moderating Role
FROM THE VIEW POINT OF THE
STUDY DESIGN
1. ACTIVE VARIABLES
2. ATTRIBUTE VARIABLES
Study intervention Study population
•Difference teaching •Age
models •Gender
•Experimental intervention •Level of motivation
•Attitudes, etc.
Active variables Attribute variables
A researcher can A researcher cannot
manipulate manipulate
FROM THE VIEWPOINT OF THE UNIT
OF MEASUREMENT
1. CATEGORICAL VARIABLES
A. CONSTANT (TREE, WATER)
B. DICHOTOMOUS (YES/NO, GOOD/BAD)
C. POLYTOMOUS (RELIGION, ATTITUDES, ETC.)
2. CONTINUOUS VARIABLES (AGE IN YEARS, INCOME IN $, ETC.)
3. QUALITATIVE VARIABLES (LOW, MIDDLE, HIGH INCOME)
4. QUANTITATIVE VARIABLES (INCOME IN $/YEAR, AGE IN YEARS
AND MONTHS)
