Researchers found that cats left alone in the room showed a stress response and were less willing to explore the room unaccompanied
than when their owners were present.
(e) Explain one reason why operationalising ‘stress response’ would be important in this research.
Operationalising 'stress response' is important so the variable can be measured consistently and objectively—for example, defining it as increased heart rate or time spent hiding ensures reliable data that can be compared across participants.
