Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsThe Scientific MethodHypothesis FormatFalsifiability of a HypothesisOperationalizationHypothesis TypesHypotheses ExamplesCollecting Data

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

The Scientific Method

Hypothesis Format

Falsifiability of a Hypothesis

Operationalization

Hypothesis Types

Hypotheses Examples

Collecting Data

Close

A hypothesis is a tentative statement about the relationship between two or more variables. It is a specific, testable prediction about what you expect to happen in a study. It is a preliminary answer to your question that helps guide the research process.

Consider a study designed to examine the relationship between sleep deprivation and test performance. The hypothesis might be: “This study is designed to assess the hypothesis that sleep-deprived people will perform worse on a test than individuals who are not sleep-deprived.”

At a GlanceA hypothesis is crucial to scientific research because it offers a clear direction for what the researchers are looking to find. This allows them to design experiments to test their predictions and add to our scientific knowledge about the world. This article explores how a hypothesis is used in psychology research, how to write a good hypothesis, and the different types of hypotheses you might use.

At a Glance

A hypothesis is crucial to scientific research because it offers a clear direction for what the researchers are looking to find. This allows them to design experiments to test their predictions and add to our scientific knowledge about the world. This article explores how a hypothesis is used in psychology research, how to write a good hypothesis, and the different types of hypotheses you might use.

The Hypothesis in the Scientific Method

In thescientific method, whether it involves research in psychology, biology, or some other area, a hypothesis represents what the researchers think will happen in an experiment.The scientific method involves the following steps:

The hypothesis is a prediction, but it involves more than a guess. Most of the time, the hypothesis begins with a question which is then explored through background research. At this point, researchers then begin to develop a testable hypothesis.

Unless you are creating an exploratory study, your hypothesis should always explain what youexpectto happen.

In a study exploring the effects of a particular drug, the hypothesis might be that researchers expect the drug to have some type of effect on the symptoms of a specific illness. In psychology, the hypothesis might focus on how a certain aspect of the environment might influence a particular behavior.

Remember, a hypothesis does not have to be correct.While the hypothesis predicts what the researchers expect to see, the goal of the research is to determine whether this guess is right or wrong. When conducting an experiment, researchers might explore numerous factors to determine which ones might contribute to the ultimate outcome.

In many cases, researchers may find that the results of an experimentdo notsupport the original hypothesis. When writing up these results, the researchers might suggest other options that should be explored in future studies.

In many cases, researchers might draw a hypothesis from a specific theory or build on previous research. For example, prior research has shown that stress can impact the immune system. So a researcher might hypothesize: “People with high-stress levels will be more likely to contract a common cold after being exposed to the virus than people who have low-stress levels.”

In other instances, researchers might look at commonly held beliefs or folk wisdom. “Birds of a feather flock together” is one example of folk adage that a psychologist might try to investigate. The researcher might pose a specific hypothesis that “People tend to select romantic partners who are similar to them in interests and educational level.”

Elements of a Good Hypothesis

So how do you write a good hypothesis? When trying to come up with a hypothesis for your research or experiments, ask yourself the following questions:

Before you come up with a specific hypothesis, spend some time doing background research. Once you have completed a literature review, start thinking about potential questions you still have. Pay attention to the discussion section in thejournal articles you read. Many authors will suggest questions that still need to be explored.

How to Formulate a Good HypothesisTo form a hypothesis, you should take these steps:Collect as many observations about a topic or problem as you can.Evaluate these observations and look for possible causes of the problem.Create a list of possible explanations that you might want to explore.After you have developed some possible hypotheses, think of ways that you could confirm or disprove each hypothesis through experimentation. This is known as falsifiability.

How to Formulate a Good Hypothesis

To form a hypothesis, you should take these steps:Collect as many observations about a topic or problem as you can.Evaluate these observations and look for possible causes of the problem.Create a list of possible explanations that you might want to explore.After you have developed some possible hypotheses, think of ways that you could confirm or disprove each hypothesis through experimentation. This is known as falsifiability.

To form a hypothesis, you should take these steps:

In the scientific method,falsifiability is an important part of any valid hypothesis.In order to test a claim scientifically, it must be possible that the claim could be proven false.

Students sometimes confuse the idea of falsifiability with the idea that it means that something is false, which is not the case. What falsifiability means is thatifsomething was false, then it is possible todemonstratethat it is false.

One of the hallmarks of pseudoscience is that it makes claims that cannot be refuted or proven false.

The Importance of Operational Definitions

A variable is a factor or element that can be changed and manipulated in ways that are observable and measurable. However, the researcher must also define how the variable will be manipulated and measured in the study.

Operational definitions are specific definitions for all relevant factors in a study. This process helps make vague or ambiguous concepts detailed and measurable.

These precise descriptions are important because many things can be measured in various ways. Clearly defining these variables and how they are measured helps ensure that other researchers can replicate your results.

Replicability

One of the basic principles of any type of scientific research is that the results must be replicable.

Replication means repeating an experiment in the same way to produce the same results. By clearly detailing the specifics of how the variables were measured and manipulated, other researchers can better understand the results and repeat the study if needed.

Some variables are more difficult than others to define. For example, how would you operationally define a variable such asaggression? For obvious ethical reasons, researchers cannot create a situation in which a person behaves aggressively toward others.

To measure this variable, the researcher must devise a measurement that assesses aggressive behavior without harming others. The researcher might utilize a simulated task to measure aggressiveness in this situation.

Hypothesis ChecklistDoes your hypothesis focus on something that you can actually test?Does your hypothesis include both an independent and dependent variable?Can you manipulate the variables?Can your hypothesis be tested without violating ethical standards?

Hypothesis Checklist

Does your hypothesis focus on something that you can actually test?Does your hypothesis include both an independent and dependent variable?Can you manipulate the variables?Can your hypothesis be tested without violating ethical standards?

The hypothesis you use will depend on what you are investigating and hoping to find. Some of the main types of hypotheses that you might use include:

A hypothesis often follows a basic format of “If {this happens} then {this will happen}.” One way to structure your hypothesis is to describe what will happen to thedependent variableif you change theindependent variable.

The basic format might be: “If {these changes are made to a certain independent variable}, then we will observe {a change in a specific dependent variable}.”

A few examples of simple hypotheses:

Examples of a complex hypothesis include:

Examples of a null hypothesis include:

Examples of an alternative hypothesis:

Collecting Data on Your Hypothesis

Once a researcher has formed a testable hypothesis, the next step is to select a research design and start collecting data. The research method depends largely on exactly what they are studying. There are two basic types of research methods: descriptive research and experimental research.

Descriptive Research Methods

Descriptive research such ascase studies,naturalistic observations, and surveys are often used whenconducting an experimentis difficult or impossible.These methods are best used to describe different aspects of a behavior or psychological phenomenon.

Once a researcher has collected data using descriptive methods, acorrelational studycan examine how the variables are related. This research method might be used to investigate a hypothesis that is difficult to test experimentally.

Experimental Research Methods

Experimental methodsare used to demonstrate causal relationships between variables. In an experiment, the researcher systematically manipulates a variable of interest (known as the independent variable) and measures the effect on another variable (known as the dependent variable).

Unlike correlational studies, which can only be used to determine if there is a relationship between two variables, experimental methods can be used to determine the actual nature of the relationship—whether changes in one variable actuallycauseanother to change.

Takeaways

5 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Thompson WH, Skau S.On the scope of scientific hypotheses.R Soc Open Sci. 2023;10(8):230607. doi:10.1098/rsos.230607Taran S, Adhikari NKJ, Fan E.Falsifiability in medicine: what clinicians can learn from Karl Popper[published correction appears in Intensive Care Med. 2021 Jun 17;:].Intensive Care Med. 2021;47(9):1054-1056. doi:10.1007/s00134-021-06432-zEyler AA.Research Methods for Public Health. 1st ed. Springer Publishing Company; 2020. doi:10.1891/9780826182067.0004Nosek BA, Errington TM.What is replication?PLoS Biol. 2020;18(3):e3000691. doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.3000691Aggarwal R, Ranganathan P.Study designs: Part 2 - Descriptive studies.Perspect Clin Res. 2019;10(1):34-36. doi:10.4103/picr.PICR_154_18Additional ReadingNevid J. Psychology: Concepts and Applications. Wadworth, 2013.

5 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Thompson WH, Skau S.On the scope of scientific hypotheses.R Soc Open Sci. 2023;10(8):230607. doi:10.1098/rsos.230607Taran S, Adhikari NKJ, Fan E.Falsifiability in medicine: what clinicians can learn from Karl Popper[published correction appears in Intensive Care Med. 2021 Jun 17;:].Intensive Care Med. 2021;47(9):1054-1056. doi:10.1007/s00134-021-06432-zEyler AA.Research Methods for Public Health. 1st ed. Springer Publishing Company; 2020. doi:10.1891/9780826182067.0004Nosek BA, Errington TM.What is replication?PLoS Biol. 2020;18(3):e3000691. doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.3000691Aggarwal R, Ranganathan P.Study designs: Part 2 - Descriptive studies.Perspect Clin Res. 2019;10(1):34-36. doi:10.4103/picr.PICR_154_18Additional ReadingNevid J. Psychology: Concepts and Applications. Wadworth, 2013.

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Thompson WH, Skau S.On the scope of scientific hypotheses.R Soc Open Sci. 2023;10(8):230607. doi:10.1098/rsos.230607Taran S, Adhikari NKJ, Fan E.Falsifiability in medicine: what clinicians can learn from Karl Popper[published correction appears in Intensive Care Med. 2021 Jun 17;:].Intensive Care Med. 2021;47(9):1054-1056. doi:10.1007/s00134-021-06432-zEyler AA.Research Methods for Public Health. 1st ed. Springer Publishing Company; 2020. doi:10.1891/9780826182067.0004Nosek BA, Errington TM.What is replication?PLoS Biol. 2020;18(3):e3000691. doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.3000691Aggarwal R, Ranganathan P.Study designs: Part 2 - Descriptive studies.Perspect Clin Res. 2019;10(1):34-36. doi:10.4103/picr.PICR_154_18

Thompson WH, Skau S.On the scope of scientific hypotheses.R Soc Open Sci. 2023;10(8):230607. doi:10.1098/rsos.230607

Taran S, Adhikari NKJ, Fan E.Falsifiability in medicine: what clinicians can learn from Karl Popper[published correction appears in Intensive Care Med. 2021 Jun 17;:].Intensive Care Med. 2021;47(9):1054-1056. doi:10.1007/s00134-021-06432-z

Eyler AA.Research Methods for Public Health. 1st ed. Springer Publishing Company; 2020. doi:10.1891/9780826182067.0004

Nosek BA, Errington TM.What is replication?PLoS Biol. 2020;18(3):e3000691. doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.3000691

Aggarwal R, Ranganathan P.Study designs: Part 2 - Descriptive studies.Perspect Clin Res. 2019;10(1):34-36. doi:10.4103/picr.PICR_154_18

Nevid J. Psychology: Concepts and Applications. Wadworth, 2013.

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