Ma'anar ƙamus na kalmar "yanayin sarrafawa" yana nufin ma'auni ko yanayin tunani wanda aka kafa a gwaji ko nazari na kimiyya don zama tushen tushen abin da za'a iya kwatanta wasu sharuɗɗan. A irin waɗannan gwaje-gwajen, yanayin kulawa shine yawanci yanayin da babu wani canji mai zaman kansa da aka sarrafa, kuma ana amfani dashi don sanin ko canje-canjen da aka gani a wasu yanayi sun kasance saboda magudin canji mai zaman kansa ko ga wasu dalilai. Yanayin sarrafawa yana da mahimmanci a cikin bincike saboda suna taimakawa wajen rage tasirin abubuwan da ke haifar da canje-canje masu yawa da kuma ƙara ingantaccen bincike na ciki.