whole_func_string: function() {
              if (this.select) {
                  var firstOption = this.select.children().first();
                  if (this.opts.placeholderOption !== undefined ) {
                      //Determine the placeholder option based on the specified placeholderOption setting
                      return (this.opts.placeholderOption === "first" && firstOption) ||
                             (typeof this.opts.placeholderOption === "function" && this.opts.placeholderOption(this.select));
                  } else if (firstOption.text() === "" && firstOption.val() === "") {
                      //No explicit placeholder option specified, use the first if it's blank
                      return firstOption;
                  }
              }
          }
func_code_string: function() {
              if (this.select) {
                  var firstOption = this.select.children().first();
                  if (this.opts.placeholderOption !== undefined ) {
                      //Determine the placeholder option based on the specified placeholderOption setting
                      return (this.opts.placeholderOption === "first" && firstOption) ||
                             (typeof this.opts.placeholderOption === "function" && this.opts.placeholderOption(this.select));
                  } else if (firstOption.text() === "" && firstOption.val() === "") {
                      //No explicit placeholder option specified, use the first if it's blank
                      return firstOption;
                  }
              }
          }
func_documentation_string: abstract