Operationaliserbara

Operationaliserbara is an adjective used in social science and research methodology to describe a concept, variable, or hypothesis that can be translated into specific, observable operations or indicators. An operationaliserbara construct can be measured and subjected to empirical testing because its definitions specify how data will be collected and interpreted.

The term is formed from the English verb operationalize and the Scandinavian suffix -bara, meaning 'able to be' or 'capable of.' In practice, operationaliserbara is used in Swedish- and Norwegian-language methodological writing to refer to the capacity to define a concept in measurable terms.

In designing a study, researchers assess whether a theoretical construct is operationaliserbara by proposing indicators and measurement procedures. Example: 'social integration' can be operationalised through indicators such as frequency of social contacts, participation in community activities, and self-reported sense of belonging. The process also involves selecting scales, data collection methods, and coding rules.

Operationalisering involves trade-offs; overly narrow indicators may omit aspects of the construct, while broad indicators may reduce reliability. Researchers address construct validity, reliability, and measurement invariance. The term highlights the methodological step of linking abstract ideas to observable data.

See also Operationalization, Construct validity, Measurement, Indicator, Latent variable.