How is a concept defined in research?

A concept in research is best defined as an abstract idea. In research methodology, concepts serve as building blocks for theories and are fundamental elements that help in forming hypotheses, guiding studies, and establishing frameworks of understanding.

Concepts often represent complex notions, such as freedom, intelligence, or motivation, which researchers seek to explore, measure, and analyze. While they can be operationalized to create measurable variables, the essence of a concept itself remains abstract, providing a broad understanding that can be translated into specific, testable variables or hypotheses.

So, the correct understanding is that a concept is not a measurable variable, as representing a measurable aspect of reality would involve defining it in more concrete terms, which typically comes later in the research process. This interaction between abstract ideas and their measurable counterparts establishes the foundation for empirical inquiry and contributes to the broader scope of knowledge within a field.