What is a specific stimulus to which a person responds overtly?

The correct response is rooted in the concept of an "item" within the context of psychological testing and assessments. An item refers to a specific question or task that is designed to elicit a response from a test-taker. This response can be observable and is often used to measure a particular psychological construct or ability.

In psychometrics, items can take various forms, such as multiple-choice questions, true/false statements, or performance tasks. The overt response to an item can help in gathering quantifiable data about a person's characteristics or behaviors, which is crucial for reliable assessments.

Understanding that the specific stimulus is an item clarifies why responses to items are foundational in evaluating constructs like intelligence, personality traits, or behavioral tendencies. Each item is crafted deliberately to ensure it effectively prompts a response that is indicative of the underlying trait being measured.

The other terms carry different meanings in psychological measurement. For instance, a factor often refers to underlying dimensions that explain patterns of responses across multiple items, while a variable is a broader term that denotes any characteristic that can vary among subjects. An indicator generally signifies evidence or a sign of a particular trait or condition but does not specifically pertain to the stimulus that elicits an overt response, thus reinforcing why the term "