Two marine biologists are conducting a structured observation of social play behaviour in a pod of captive bottlenose dolphins. One of the specific target behaviours they plan to record is 'object-sharing' (such as passing a piece of sea-kelp).
Briefly explain why it is crucial for the biologists to agree on an operationalised definition of 'object-sharing' before they begin their structured observation.
Practise AQA A Level Psychology Research methods with exam-style questions for A Level Psychology. 100 questions covering Experimental method, Observational techniques, Self-report techniques, Correlations, Content analysis (A-level only), Case studies (A-level only), Scientific processes, Data handling and analysis, and Inferential testing (A-level only), matched to the AQA A Level Psychology (7182) specification and written in Paper 1, Paper 2 and Paper 3 style. Every question includes a full worked solution and mark scheme, so you can see where marks are awarded rather than just whether you got the answer right.