Examining the Relationship Between the Number of Followers on Social Media and Self-Esteem Among College Students: Defining and Measuring Variables

Prompt: In this fictional psychology research study, you will explore the relationship between the number
of followers on social media and self-esteem among college students. To conduct this study effectively,
you will need to define and measure the study’s variables and describe how to test the measures’ validity
and reliability. You’ve done your literature review, and are now ready to operationalize the variables,
develop measurement scales, and discuss the reliability and validity of your measures.
Important!
• DO NOT not design a study! At this point you are only defining the variables, describing their
measurement scales, and describing the plan for assessing the validity and reliability of the
variable measures for your study.
• Remember to provide a clear rationale for your choices in defining, measuring, and assessing
the validity and reliability of the variable measures for your study.
Using the prompt above, the following are the items to discuss in your Post:
• Research Question:
1. State the research question your study seeks to answer.
2. Use the first sentence in the prompt to develop your research question.
• Hypothesis:
1. State the hypothesis for your study, e.g., the specific predicted answer to your research
question.
2. Make sure your hypothesis can be verified or refuted by direct observation of behaviors!
• Define the Variables:
1. Variable #1: Followers on Social Media
a. Provide a clear and concise definition of what a follower on social media is.
b. Identify specific aspects or components of a follower on social media that will
be considered in the study.
2. Variable #2: Self-Esteem
a. Define what self-esteem is in the context of this study.
b. Identify specific aspects or components of self-esteem that will be considered in
the study.
• Measure the Variables:
1. Followers on Social Media Measurement
a. Describe the instrument or scale you intend to use to measure the number of
followers on social media.
b. Explain how this instrument measures the various components of your variable
as described in your definition.
c. Provide examples of sample items or questions that could be included in the
instrument.
2. Self-Esteem Measurement
a. Describe the instrument or scale you intend to use to measure your definition of
self-esteem.
b. Explain how this instrument measures the various components of your variable
as described in your definition.
c. Provide examples of sample items or questions that could be included in the
instrument.
• Validity and Reliability Assessment:
1. Followers on Social Media:
a. Validity Assessment
▪ Explain how you plan to establish validity for your measure.
▪ What specific type of validity testing would you use to show that your
measure is valid? Explain why. Note: You must use one of the types of
testing described in the textbook.
b. Reliability Assessment:
▪ Describe how you will assess the reliability of your measure.
▪ What specific type of reliability testing would you use to show that your
measure is reliable? Explain why. Note: You must use one of the types
of testing described in the textbook.
2. Self-Esteem
a. Validity Assessment
▪ Explain how you plan to establish validity for your measure.
▪ What specific type of validity testing would you use to show that your
measure is valid? Explain why. Note: You must use one of the types of
testing describe in the textbook.
b. Reliability Assessment
▪ Describe how you will assess the reliability of your measure.
▪ What type of reliability testing would you use to show that your
measure is reliable? Explain why. Note: You must use one of the types
of testing described in the textbook.