History of Operationism and
the Hypothetico-Deductive model in psychology

Vienna Circle ~ 1925:
The marriage of logic and empiricism

Unification of Science along with the expulsion
of metaphysics and ethics was their goal

 Theoretical terms can be linked to observation
terms or "Protocol Sentences" (descriptions of experience)
through theoretical statements of the relationships between
 such  observations and theoretical constructs

 Verifiability principle: "The meaning of a proposition
is the method of its verification." The truth or
meaning of a statement is to be found in the
verification (proof) made by observations

Laws of Science are summary statements about
regularly correlated observations and predictions

Explanation is found in the verification of determinations
or predictions
 

Percy Bridgman (1882-1961): Operationism

1927 - The logic of modern physics

Operational analysis: "the concept is synonymous with the corresponding set of operations" needed to perform the observation (physical and mental operations) This is not a method for definitions, but for analyzing or sharpening the meanings of concepts already in place

Phenomenalism: Knowledge is limited to an individual's observations

vs.

 Operationism: S.S.Stevens (1935) & E.G.Boring (1936) Terms must be defined operationally to be scientifically meaningful

The "'Operational definition', as practiced in psychology, seeks to universalize the language community by reducing a concept to an observation"