Operationalisation (definition)

Operationalisation in social/psychological sciences is reducing the complexity of life (overdetermination) to two variables to try to explain the former by a quantified relationship between  the latter.

Serves to assert the status of a "proper science" by impressing those whose education never included mastering qualitative analysis.

Needs to be taken very seriously, as questioning its very premise will definitely yank the carpet from under the feet of many an academic discipline.