Term
Hypothesis
What is a hypothesis?
Answer
Definition
A clear, precise, and testable statement predicting an outcome or relationship between variables.
Psychological research primarily utilizes two fundamental types of statements to structure experiments and statistical testing.
These definitions illustrate the opposing roles of the null and alternative hypotheses in empirical testing.
The null hypothesis predicts that there will be no effect or no difference between groups or variables. It assumes that any observed effect is due to chance or random variation. (Example: "Sleep duration has no effect on memory recall.")
The alternative hypothesis predicts that there will be a significant effect or a difference between groups or variables. It represents the researcher's actual prediction about the relationship between variables. (Example: "Sleep duration affects memory recall.")
Hypotheses must specify the relationship between variables, either predicting the outcome's direction or simply stating a difference exists.
TESTABLE HYPOTHESES: A hypothesis must be framed in such a way that it can be tested through empirical research. This means it should be specific, measurable, and capable of being supported or refuted by evidence.
A strong hypothesis adheres to specific criteria ensuring its validity and utility in scientific investigation.
What is a hypothesis?
A clear, precise, and testable statement predicting an outcome or relationship between variables.
Why are hypotheses important in research?
They guide the design, methodology, data collection, and analysis of studies.
What does a testable hypothesis require?
It must be specific, measurable, and capable of being supported or refuted by evidence.
What is the null hypothesis (H₀)?
It predicts no effect or difference between groups/variables; any observed effect is due to chance.
What is the alternative hypothesis (H₁ or Ha)?
It predicts a significant effect or difference, representing the researcher's expected outcome.
What is the difference between directional and non-directional hypotheses?
Directional hypotheses specify the effect's direction; non-directional hypotheses state that an effect exists without specifying direction.
What are the key characteristics of a good hypothesis?
Clear, concise, testable, measurable, specific, and based on theory and prior research.
Give an example of a directional hypothesis related to sleep and memory.
Increasing sleep duration improves memory recall.
Give an example of a non-directional hypothesis related to sleep and memory.
There is a difference in memory recall between people who sleep 4 hours and those who sleep 8 hours.
What should a hypothesis clearly identify?
The variables involved and, if relevant, the direction of the effect.