Dr. Bannion conducted a study on how depressants produce their effects on the body. Which of the following is the operational definition that Dr. Bannion most likely used?

Question

a
Participants' positive mood rating on a scale from 1 to 10
b
The number of hours participants sleep
c
The level of endorphins in the brain
d
The amount of time spent trying to obtain depressant drugs

Answer 1

An operational definition specifies how a concept will be measured or defined in a study. In the context of Dr. Bannion's study on how depressants produce their effects on the body, the most relevant operational definition from the options provided would be:

c. The level of endorphins in the brain.

This option directly relates to the biological effects of depressants and can be objectively measured, making it a suitable operational definition for studying their effects. The other options are more subjective or not as directly related to the physiological effects of depressants.