CHAPTER 6
FORMULATING THE
HYPOTHESIS
GROUP 2
EXOERIMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY
GROUP 2 MEMBERS
Alim, Ranie G.
Bacason, Maricor D.
Bautista, Edglaizel Ann C.
Caranay, Rachelle Rain D.
Cater, Von Klein M.
Magsael, Rica May S.
Marfil, Sheila Mae B.
Serrano, Kristine Cassandra D.
CHAPTER 6
FORMULATING THE
HYPOTHESIS
GROUP 2
EXOERIMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY
TODAY, WE’RE GOING TO DISCUSS
ABOUT FORMULATING THE
HYPOTHESIS
WHAT WE WILL DISCUSS
What is Hypothesis
Characteristics of an Experimental
Hypothesis
Inductive and Deductive Model of
Hypothesis
When All Else Fails
Searching the Research Literature
Writing the Report
Finding the articles you need
HYPOTHESIS
a thesis, or main idea, of an experiment. It refers to a
statement about a predicted relationship between
at least two variables.
A hypothesis is a testable prediction based on
existing knowledge or theories.
NON-EXPERIMENTAL HYPOTHESIS
refers to a statement of your prediction how
events, traits, or behaviors might be related
(not a statement for cause and effect).
CHARACTERISTICS OF AN EXPERIMENTAL HYPOTHESIS
Experimental hypothesis – refers to a
tentative explanation of an event or
behavior. It explains the effects of
specified antecedent conditions on a
measured behavior.
Hypotheses must be synthetic
statements that are testable, falsifiable,
parsimonious, and fruitful (desirably)
SYNTHETIC STATEMENTS
Synthetic statements
are statements that can be either true or false. It is a borrowed
term from the field of logic.
Each experimental hypothesis must be a synthetic statement so
that there can be some chance it is true and some chance that it
is false.
NON-SYNTHETIC STATEMENTS
Analytic statement
refers to a statement that is always true.
Contradictory statements
refers to statements with elements that oppose each other.
TESTABLE STATEMENTS
TESTABLE STATEMENTS
An experimental hypotheses must be testable and have the means
for manipulating antecedent conditions and measuring the
resulting behavior must exist.
A hypothesis would not be experimental if the means for
observing and recording the behavior of interest does
not currently exist.
FALSIFIABLE STATEMENTS
FALSIFIABLE STATEMENTS
Statements of research hypotheses must be falsifiable by the
research findings.
Hypotheses need to be worded so that failures to find
the predicted effect must be considered evidence that
the hypothesis is indeed false.
PARSIMONIOUS STATEMENTS
PARSIMONIOUS STATEMENTS
The simplest explanation is preferred over one that requires many
supporting assumptions.
FRUITFUL STATEMENTS
FRUITFUL STATEMENTS
It is often difficult to know in advance which hypotheses will be
most fruitful.
There is some indication that a hypothesis is fruitful when we can
think of new studies that will become important if the hypothesis is
supported.
INDUCTIVE AND DEDUCTIVE MODEL
INDUCTIVE MODEL
The process of reasoning from specific cases to more
general principles and is often used in science and
mathematics. Induction is the basic tool of theory building.
Theory – refers to a set of general principles
that can be used to explain and predict
behavior.
DEDUCTIVE MODEL
The reverse of the inductive model of formulation of
hypothesis.
Deduction – refers to the process of
reasoning from general principles to make
predictions about specific instances
EQUITY THEORY
An excellent example of the deductive method
in psychology is research that stemmed from
predictions generated by equity theory.
Walster, Walster, and Berscheid provided a comprehensive and
useful theory of equity in interpersonal situation. They proposed that
the behavior of individuals could be predicted by three simple
propositions.
1. Individuals will try to optimize their outcomes.
2. When individuals believe they are in an inequitable relationship, they will
feel distress in direct proportion to the perceived degree of inequity.
3. The more the stress they feel, the harder they will work to restore
equity.
Equity theory has been used by researchers to predict
behavior for the past three decades and has successfully
predicted outcomes in a great number of interpersonal
circumstances.
COMBINING INDUCTIVE AND DEDUCTIVE
Both induction and deduction are important in research and both are
useful in formulating hypotheses for study.
Through induction, we devise general principles and theories that can
be used to organize, explain, and predict behavior until more
satisfactory principles are found.
Through deduction we rigorously test the implication of those theories.
BUILDING ON PRIOR RESEARCH
· Prior experimental research is an excellent source of hypotheses. You
will often find experimental literature useful in focusing your thinking in
important issues.
By reading prior studies, you will also see the kinds of problems others
have had in researching a certain topic and this will help you anticipate
difficulties you might not have thought of alone.
A thorough search of the literature available on your topic is important
in designing a good experiment and essential to writing an effective
report.
SERENDIPITY AND THE WINDFALL HYPOTHESIS
Serendipity – refers to the knack of finding things that are
not being sought. Discoveries through serendipity have
been made in the physical sciences as well as in psychology
Serendipity can be useful in generating new hypotheses
only when we are open to new possibilities. Serendipity is
not just about luck as it is also a matter of knowing enough
to use an opportunity.
INTUITION
Intuition – may be defined as knowing without reasoning.
Keep in mind that we must be careful to remain within the
bounds of science when we use our intuition. By intuition, we
may have a tentative explanation for behavior or events, but
such an explanation is truly tentative.
WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS
WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS
There are no rules that can be used to generate hypotheses
One method is to pick a psychology journal and just read through an issue.
There is a good chance that you will find an article that piques your interest in a
topic area.
We are least likely to come up with a hypothesis by trying to think about
everything we know about psychology.
Try to begin by focusing on one or two broad areas that interest you
After selecting some broad areas of interest, reread the sections on these areas
in an introductory psychology text.
Another way is through observation. Some very good hypotheses come from
observing how people behave in public places
If all else fails, turn your attention to a real-world problem and try to figure out
what causes it.
SEARCHING THE RESEARCH LITERATURE
SEARCHING THE RESEARCH LITERATURE
Once you have decided on hypothesis, it is wise to become familiar with
other published studies in the topic area. Conducting a thorough literature
search is an important part of conducting research, and it is necessary
for writing a research report.
Psychological journals – are periodicals that publish individual research
reports and integrative research reviews.
Meta-analysis – a good source of information; refers to a statistical
reviewing procedure that uses data from many similar studies to
summarize research findings about individual topics.
WRITING THE REPORT
WRITING THE REPORT
Introduction – the section of research report which consists of a selective review of
relevant, recent research.
·Another goal of a research report is to integrate your experiment into the existing
body of knowledge.
To show the results of your research advance knowledge.
To increase generalizability of known effects.
To contradict past findings.
Discussion – refers to the concluding section of the research report, used to
integrate the experimental findings into the existing body of knowledge, showing how
the current research advances knowledge, increasing generalizability of known
effects, or contradict past findings.
FINDING THE ARTICLES YOU NEED
FINDING THE ARTICLES YOU NEED
PsycINFO – an online database published by the APA. Using this makes findings
articles on certain topics very simple. It allows you to use several keywords at
once to narrow down your topic precisely so that abstracts only peripherally
related to your topic are skipped.
Another good source of journal articles is the Social sciences citation index.
Here you will find each author’s publications listed and, after each publication, a list
of other authors who have used those publications in their research report
Even though abstracts from journal articles, books, and book chapters are now
relatively easy to retrieve, you still have to select the abstracts that seem most
relevant. Locate the journal articles or books, and read them.
END OF DISCUSIION
Chapter 6
Formulating the Hypothesis
GROUP 2