Three research assistants were assigned the task of counting the number of times a particular student exhibited inattentive behaviors during a 30-minute math class.The first research assistant counted five inattentive behaviors, the second recorded eight, and the third observed only two.Assuming the three research assistants are equally accurate in what they observed, the most likely explanation for this discrepancy in recordings would be that the inattentive behavior
A) was not the correct hypothesis.
B) was not observed for a long enough period of time.
C) was not operationally defined.
D) would require at least five observers for an accurate count.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The most likely explanation for the discrepancy in recordings is that the inattentive behavior was not operationally defined. If the research assistants did not have a clear and specific definition of what constituted inattentive behavior, they may have interpreted and observed different behaviors as inattentive. This highlights the importance of clear operational definitions in research to ensure consistency and accuracy in observations.

Three Research Assistants Were Assigned the Task of Counting the Number