= Operational definition
An <operational definition> specifies how a variable is measured or manipulated in a particular investigation. Defining stopping performance by a specified <stop-signal task>, scoring rule and estimation procedure makes the observation reproducible enough to inspect. The broader <psychological construct> of <response inhibition> need not be identical to that one procedure.<APA Dictionary of Psychology by the American Psychological Association>[Operational definition entry: definition through specified operations or measurement procedures]{ref}
For example, “number of correctly named digits from 1 to 10 under these instructions” operationally defines a <numeral identification> score. It leaves open whether the same child can compare quantities or count objects. An <operational definition> makes the measurement concrete; evidence about what that measurement represents is a separate question of <construct validity>.
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