An important rule of scientific inquiry is to always distinguish between fact and interpretation, so that each can be evaluated independently. Operational Definitions Operationalism can best be described by example. Suppose a researcher says that he used ten motivated rats as subjects in an experiment. The researcher in this case stated the procedures, or operations, used to produce ten rats motivated to secure food. 30 Operational definitions emphasize actions rather than conditions Notice that in this case a procedure has been indicated whereby another psychologist can produce a similar state of hunger in other experimental subjects.
Operationalism requires that an event be replicable, that is, capable of being repeated.
A replicable event does not require that two people form the same subjective judgment. The finding was probably due to chance. Stating definitions in terms of operations avoids communication problems. Misunderstanding is often created as a result of using terms that have no empirical definition. Success to a doctor's son may not be the same as success to an itinerant farmer's son.