operationalism

n. the position that the meaning of a scientific concept depends upon the procedures used to establish it, so that each concept can be defined by a single observable and measurable operation. An example is defining an emotional disorder as a particular score on a diagnostic test. This approach was mainly associated with radical behaviorism. Also called operationism.

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Psychology term of the day

February 23rd 2025

Krause end bulb

a specialized sensory nerve ending enclosed in a capsule in the skin. It is associated with temperature sensations. [Wilhelm Krause (1833–1910), German anatomist]