Operational definition
The term operational definition or operationalization of a feature goes back to Bridgman (1927 ). The original, tailored to the physics version tried to make experiential concepts empirically measurable.
Operationalization
If you want to, for example, measured how many car owners have "good" drive, so it must first be determined what exactly is meant " go well " under the term. For every person does have a certain idea of "good", but what does this qualitative statement, if you would like to make it empirically tangible?
The problem here is that a concept of experience, who need not be defined in more detail in everyday life, for a scientific statement in this form is not sufficient, because each person uses a different concept of experience. Therefore, first be " variable" or " indicators ", ie an existing in various forms characteristic of a subject defined, which can be described as mental or physical operators of the designated by the term facts. In this case, could be set or the like about the operators " prudent ", " speed limit einhaltend ". Under the operationalization one now understands the steps of assigning empirically detectable observable, or erfragenden indicators to a theoretical concept. By operationalizing the measurements designated by a term empirical phenomena are possible " and comprehensible for non-identical with the definer people.
Importance in physics
The found in physics variant of the operational definition summarizes Bortz - Döring as follows: " 1 The operational definition is synonymous with a corresponding set of operations [...] 2 A term should not be defined in terms of its features, but with respect to its related operations. 3 The true meaning of the term is not found, by observing what they say about him, but by registering, what to do with him. 4 All our knowledge is put into perspective in operations that were selected to measure our scientific concepts. If there are several sets of operations, so these are also based on several concepts. "
Importance in the social sciences
In the social sciences occurs in the relationship between theoretical concept to operational definition, a particular problem:
A) The term may be " under -defined", that is, the term is then reduced content must adhere to the measure rule.
B ) The term " over-defined ", that is, still swinging about with shades of meaning that are not covered by its measurement rules.
In case ( b), the operational definition of the theory, it is used within a cope; because it is taken for claim statements in which they objectively can not afford. Thus, the validity or validity of the indicators are in question.
It must be specified in order to operationalize ie measurement rules. Either specify the conditions under which attributable to a state of affairs a high- circumscribed feature is ( categorization ). Or if such features are quantifiable and attributable to, a scale with units of measurement variables (dimensions) is given, whereby any recordable offense by a certain parameter (ie a numerical value ) can be assigned. Such quantifiable characteristics are also mentioned in an abbreviated way of speaking variable.
Concerns the operational definition
Overall, the operational definition that is theoretical or abstract concepts that are not directly measurable basically trying to allow through assignment of indicators to measure. The original term is here divided into individual variable to obtain a basis for the measurement. This often disposition terms be consulted, describe the properties that are not detected by direct observation, but are subject to certain test conditions, so most definitions are referred to as partially, for example, the term " fat-soluble ": The lipid solubility can only be proved by means of experiment be. Here, the precondition is an operation which one checks to defining property (see operationalization ).
Conclusion
An operational definition is thus a well-defined concept of experience so that judgments about observations are possible, such as on the quality of driving.