In the context of a psychologist conducting a study on the effects of social support on stress reduction, the operational definition for social support would be:
c. The number of people a person can rely on for help
An operational definition is a specific, measurable description of a variable that allows for it to be quantified and observed in a study. In this case, defining social support as "the number of people a person can rely on for help" provides a clear and measurable criterion for assessing the level of support an individual has in their social network.
By operationalizing social support in terms of the number of people one can rely on, the psychologist can quantify this aspect of support within the study. This definition focuses on the availability of individuals who can provide assistance and aid, which aligns closely with the concept of social support and its potential impact on stress reduction.
Other options provided, such as the amount of time spent alone or the level of income a person has, do not directly capture the essence of social support in terms of interpersonal relationships and assistance. The number of friends a person has or the amount of time spent with family members may contribute to social support, but they do not provide as specific and quantifiable a definition as the number of people one can rely on for help.
