Final answer:
In conceptual replications, researchers use new operational definitions to explore the relationships between abstract measurable variables. The correct answer is (c) Conceptual; measurable. This approach helps to systematically measure variables and observe their interrelationships within an experimental framework.
Step-by-step explanation:
In conceptual replications, researchers attempt to understand the relationships among abstract measurable variables by using new, or different, operational definitions of those variables. The correct answer to the fill-in-the-blank question is (c) Conceptual; measurable.
Operational definitions are crucial in research as they define concepts in terms of the physical or concrete steps it takes to objectively measure them. This allows for systematic and replicable data collection. In an experimental study, the independent variable is the factor that the researcher manipulates, while the dependent variable is the outcome that is measured to see the effect of the independent variable. The control group in an experiment serves as a baseline for comparison and helps control for extraneous factors, ensuring the experimental manipulation is the only difference between groups.
Correlation describes the relationship between two or more variables; when two variables are correlated, they change together. However, correlation does not necessarily imply causation.