Activity 7.1
Inferring Concepts from Measurements

In this chapter we focused on the transition from abstract concepts to concrete measurements-a deductive process. Sometimes research questions are guided by data that have been collected by others. As we shall see in later chapters, political scientists commonly test their hypotheses with data from surveys conducted by research organizations and from information compiled in volumes by organizations such as the United Nations and the U.S. Census. Implicit in each of these indicators is a concept. By learning to infer inductively what concept is being measured by a given indicator, you will be able to see the potential use of these data to test hypotheses. Here is a set of operationalizations of concepts. For each of the operationalizations, write down the concept it measures.

1. Survey question: "How many times a week do you drink an alcoholic beverage?"
2. Percentage of a nation's population that is literate
3. U.S. Senate roll call vote on eliminating estate taxes (Yea, No, Abstain, Absent)
4. Survey question: "I often feel lonely." Agree or Disagree.
5. Number of negative stories about political candidates in a local newspaper
6. Percentage of budgets of South American nations devoted to military expenditures
7. Survey question: "Most people can't be trusted." Agree or Disagree.
8. Attendance at concerts performed by heavy metal groups
9. Number of hours of sleep each night
10. Number of trips taken abroad each year by presidents