Conceptualization is the process of specifying what is meant by a term. The concept that I selected to describe my conceptualization process would be communication. My research proposal is intended to be a study of long distance relationships and I fell that my major concept is the aspect of Communication. I feel that long distance relationships are workable and plausible. The main concern in all relationships should be the communication that takes place between the two partners, because without it there would be no relationship. In order to successfully develop a nominal definition for my concept, I would have to get ideas on what to conclude within my definition. That brought up the topic of Indicators and Dimensions. .
An indicator is a sign of the presence or absence of the concept we"re studying. In my own words that definition means that an indicator is something that lets you know when there is something missing or added, extra in what you are studying. For example, indicators that I would focus on would be things like misunderstandings, petty arguments, and lack of trust. Though these are not the only things that assist in the whole concept of communication, or rather lack of, these are the ones that I am focusing on for the sake of this paper. I am sure with further research I will be able to expound on more indicators than the ones I have listed. The reasoning for misunderstandings would be the idea that when two people within that relationship, for example set up a time to do something, like visit, phone calls or writing letters, and each one has there own idea of when that is going to happen, and it isn't congruent to the others idea. One person says, "I will call you sometime after 5." That individual was thinking more in the lines of within that hour, maybe 5:45. The other person leaves thinking sometime after 5 could be more around 7. The phone call happens and no one is there to answer.
