Measuring Concepts

The assignment content discusses conceptualizing, operationalizing, and measuring two concepts: religiosity and education. The concepts are defined and their variables are identified. Additionally, four separate hypotheses are listed with independent and dependent variables and the direction of their relationship. A theory in social science is defined as a set of interlinked notions that explain or predict social behavior. Social science theories differ from those in physical sciences, focusing on socio-cultural aspects and human relationships. The advantages of using scientific methodology in studying social phenomena include acquiring information, data acquisition, and testing hypotheses. Finally, the disciplines of Gerontology, Anthropology, and Sociology are defined, with examples of how each contributes to understanding individuals and society.

Make sure to list any references you use in doing this mid-term exam.
Must Answer All 5 Questions
Your answers must contain sufficient detail. Answers that consist of a few sentences will
not be given credit.
1. Conceptualize, operationalize and come up with a variable(s) to measure two of the
following concepts: religiosity, affluence, stress, or education. Each of the three steps
must be presented under its own subheading:
Conceptualization: There is no standard definition of stress but when there is a tension, pressure,
strain, anxiety, hopelessness, helplessness causing detrimental effects on people livelihoods is
called stress. It demands the positive regard from all the professionals around the world. The
concept of stress is incomplete, and there have been many theoretical explanations of stress in
the development of its sociological model. Education can be conceptualized as the amount of
training and knowledge acquired during the school.
Operationalization: By operationalization, we mean defining certain variables into measurable
factors. The stress can be measured by the score of Perceived Stress Scale. Stress in an individual
can be operationalized by asking the people to give a public speech and also by giving an answer
to a simple questionnaire by rating from scale -5. The operationalization of education could be
done by assigning a value to the education level.
Variables: The variable for stress in the organizations may be due to a highly stress oriented
position in the business consisting of a hectic schedule, it can be caused by an imbalance

between personal and professional life resulting ineffective work. Infrastructural lacuna also
embarks the work inefficiency leading to stressful life. In the education, the variable can be the
location of study, the field of study and certificates. It also depends on seniority, religiosity, and
ideology.
2. List 4 separate hypotheses and identify the independent variables, dependent variables
and the direction of the relationship (for example: does the independent variable have an
increasing effect on the dependent variable or does it have a decreasing effect on the
dependent variable, or does it have no effect on the dependent variable).
The four hypothesis can be
1. The higher is the availability of affordable housing, the lower is the homeless rate.
In this statement Affordable housing is an independent variable while homeless
rate is dependent and if the affordable housing increases the effect on rate of
homeless decreases, therefore it is having decreasing effect.
2. The better is the availability of Math tutoring, the better are the Math grades.
In this statement Math tutoring is an independent variable while Math grades are
dependent and if the Math tutoring increases the Math grades increases, therefore
it’s having increasing effect.
3. The higher is the presence of police patrol, the lower is the crime.
In this statement Presence of Police Patrol is an independent variable while crime
is dependent and if the Presence of Police Patrol increases the crime declines,
therefore it is having decreasing effect.
4. The better electricity supply at the factory lighting, the more is the productivity.

In this statement Electricity supply is an independent variable while productivity
are dependent and if the Electricity supply increases the Productivity increases,
therefore it’s having increasing effect.
3. What is a theory in social science? Do social science theories differ from those in the
physical sciences? From the book chapter on social theories please identify a theory and
state that theory in your own words. Explain what the theory attempts to say in your own
words.
The theory of social science states that set of interlinked notions, descriptions, and
schemes explaining or prophesizing the occasions or conditions by postulating variable
relations defines the social behavior. There can be two types of theories one is
explanatory, and other is related to change. They have different emphasize but are
complementary to each other. The differentiation between physical and social science is
difficult, and it needs the knowledge to understand them well to make the distinction.
Social science is an open system primarily deals with the socio-cultural aspects of human
beings and their relationships with the society while physical science is a closed system
dealing with the artificial world i.e. non-living aspects, including the matter properties,
behavior under the presence of certain forces, etc. Social science is vital in studying
human behavioral changes. The data obtained from physical science is experimental
while that in social science is experiential. The experimental data is obtained from
repeated experiments, testing and through reproducible results while experiential data is
assumptive and based on assumptions.

4. What are the advantages of using scientific methodology when it comes to studying
social phenomena?
The scientific methodology is applied to sociology in acquiring information regarding
different areas of social behavior and society. Social surveys are a practical application of
research methods employed via structured interviews and questionnaires is a quick and
fastest way in large scale data acquisition through online methods. These online methods
are cost effective and can be carried out in large numbers. These datasets are more
scientific and have coherent objectives which make the learning easy and efficient. These
surveys are unbiased and distant from sociologist’s personal association making them the
most reliable method for collection of data. These reviews are mainly responsible for
useful testing of the hypothesis that causes effects in the relationships between various
variables. One may compare and provide the results of study efficiently by measuring the
changes through statistical analysis. The surveys have advantages of being fair enough as
the user is informed about consent has been taken formally. The research methodologies
let the sociology experiments repeatable.
5. What do the scientific disciplines of Gerontology, Anthropology, and Sociology study?
For each of these 3 disciplines, give an example of how each discipline contributes
towards understanding individuals and society.
Gerontology is the study associated with cultural, social, cognitive, psychological and
biological impacts of aging. It helps in deepening our understanding of the aging process
and also contribute in framing the policy and programs for the old aged people. The study
of gerontology is also helpful in making individual policies regarding their course of life
and their needs according to the different life phases (Maddox, 2013).

Anthropology deals with the various aspects of human in the past as well as
contemporary societies emphasizing on the comparison among the different human races
its behavior and biology. It is important in understanding our roots and also know the
different cultures, evolution and social relations across the world (Bernard & Gravlee,
2014)
Sociology is the study related to society or social behavior including development,
business, origins, networks, and institutions. Empirical investigation and critical analysis
were used to develop the knowledge regarding the change, social order or disorder. The
study of human behavior was done by compiling and observing social interactions data
(Maturana, 2015).

References
Maturana, H. R. (2015). What Is Sociology?.
Maddox, G. L. (2013). The encyclopedia of aging: a comprehensive resource in gerontology and
geriatrics. Springer.
Bernard, H. R., & Gravlee, C. C. (Eds.). (2014). Handbook of methods in cultural anthropology.
Rowman & Littlefield.