To define abstract concepts in terms of specific, measurable procedures or observable behaviors that can be used in research or practice. It involves making theoretical ideas concrete enough to study or implement.
From Latin 'operari' meaning 'to work' plus '-ize.' This 20th-century term emerged in social sciences as researchers needed ways to transform abstract psychological and sociological concepts into measurable variables for scientific study.
Operationalizing is like turning a recipe from 'add some flour' into 'add exactly 2 cups of flour' - you take vague concepts and make them so specific that anyone could follow your exact procedure and get consistent results! Without operationalization, terms like 'intelligence' or 'happiness' are too fuzzy to study scientifically.
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