Dr. Quill wants to conduct a study on how heredity may influence musical ability. Which of the following would be the best operational definition for his dependent variable?

Question

a
Compare the genes of master musicians to the genes of individuals without musical aptitude
b
Rate the quality of musical performance from 1 (indicating poor performance) to 5 (indicating superior performance)
c
Provide musical instruments to one group of children and provide no musical instruments to a second group of children
d
Assign one group of pregnant women to listen to music daily and assign a second group of pregnant women to avoid music

Answer 1

The best operational definition for Dr. Quill's dependent variable, which is focused on measuring musical ability, would be:

b. Rate the quality of musical performance from 1 (indicating poor performance) to 5 (indicating superior performance)

This option provides a clear and measurable way to assess musical ability, which aligns with the study's focus on heredity's influence on such ability. The rating scale allows for a quantifiable comparison of musical performance among individuals. The other options do not directly measure musical ability itself; they either involve genetic comparisons, offer musical exposure, or change musical environments without directly assessing performance.