CONCEPTUALIZING AND OPERATIONALIZING VARIABLES
Amanda Teal
SOCI331
AMERICAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITY SYSTEM
1 /17/2017
Conceptual Definition
Conceptual definition tells you what the concept means, it tells you what your constructs are by explaining how they are related to other constructs. This explanation and all of the constructs it refers to are abstract. This is the process by which we specify what we mean when we use particular terms in studies. It is also described as the mental step that unclear and unprecise notions are made more direct. (Babbie, 2011).
Operational Definition
Operational Definition is a definition of how one will operate with a concept in a given study. So, what does one mean when they say operate?
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(Cassidy & Grieco, 2001). The term race is often viewed by others as a social construct rather than biologic or genetic. Some view it as what one looks like in a physical feature or see race as a cultural difference. Race is a human Construct. Race is a made of categorization that’s based on physical appearances. Because races are based on appearance, to some its ascribed-meaning that people are assigned and racial categories based on what other people see. Even if somebody could be mistaken for a certain racial category can still apply to them. These categories are fluid and our ideas of regional groupings change all the time. The population of the world is becoming increasingly mixed, but even a person with multiple races will still ultimately belong to a racial category themselves whether or not it’s the same as their …show more content…
American Indian and Alaskan Native refer to individuals having a background in either North or South America and who have continuous tribal history. It includes Rosebud Sioux, Chippewa and Navajo (Cassidy & Grieco, 2001).
“Asian” describes individuals with background of the Far East , Southeast Asia, Including individuals who state their race as Asian Indian, “Chinese”, Filipino, “Korean”, Japanese, Vietnamese, or other Asians such as Burmese, Hmong and Pakistani (Cassidy & Greico, 2001).
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander describes individuals of backgrounds in Hawaii, Guam, Samoa and other Pacific Islands such as Guamanian, Chamorro, and Samoan. Other forms of race include Moroccan, South African, Belizean and Hispanic (Mexican, Puerto Rican, and Cuban) (Cassidy & Greico, 2001). Everyone’s view and perceptions of the word race is different and Understanding what conceptual and operational definitions has to do with census and race can impact that view. Not everyone will categorize themselves in a group that the feel they don’t