Variables: In order to be a variable, a variable must vary.

Variable is basic fundamental unit of

research.
Variables are properties or characteristics of people or things that vary in quality or magnitude
from person to person or object to object.
Miller & Nicholson
For Example: Motivation, Absenteeism, Age, Height, and Weight, Pulse Rate, Satisfaction
Types of Variables:

Objective Variables
Subjective Variables

Objective Variables:
Objective Variables are based on Qualitative Data.
Objective Variables are clearly understandable.
Objective Variables are directly measurable and directly quantifiable and we have
physical methods to measure them.
Objective Variables are very clear without any bias or error.
For Example: Temperature, Height, Weight, Sale, Price, Marks. (Sale: 22Units,
Temperature: 12 Celsius).
Subjective Variables:
Subjective Variables are feeling, thoughts, or Perception etc which cannot be measure by
any physical means.
Subjective Variables are also called Abstract or Intangible Variables.
Subjective Variables are also label as Concept or Constructs.
Subjective Variables are major part of research.
For Example: Job Satisfaction, Motivation, Trust, and Leadership Style.
There are no of variables which can be objective as well as subjective. For Example: Sale (22
Units). Sale: High-Low
Psychometrics: Process through which we measure subjective variables is called Psychometrics.
OR
Measurement Psychology or Feeling through the Process of Psychometrics.
(Metrics Mean Measurement)
Operationalization: Operationalization is Process through which we measure subjective
variables and behind this process is psychometrics.
In the process of Operationalization we break up or reduce the subjective variables in to its
respective dimension or elements, and reduce the level of abstraction.
Dimension:
Dimensions are observable part of variables or Behaviors. Dimensions are also called facets or
factors.
For Example: Religiosity (Subjective Variable): Dimensions of Religiosity: Prayers, Zakat,
Fasting, Hajj, Beard, Dress etc.
Elements: By allocating value to dimension we can convert dimension into elements. OR.
Elements are Quantifiable part of dimension. Elements are also called items or statements.
For Example: Job Satisfaction (Noman)
Description
Salary
Environment
Career Development
Supervision
Decision Making

01

02 03

04 05
05
04
04
04
04

Total

21

Job Satisfaction (Gul Hassan)

Description
Salary
Environment
Career Development
Supervision
Decision Making
Total
Job Satisfaction lies between 5-25.

Here we lack certain dimension.

Include dimension that are not relevant.

01

02 03

04 05
05

03
03
04
04
19