PSYB01H3 Lecture : Chapter notes
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Hypothesis and predictions: most research studies are attempts to test a hypothesis formulated by the researcher. A hypothesis is really a type of idea or question; it makes a statement about something that may be true. A hypothesis therefore is only a tentative idea or question that is waiting for evidence to support or refute it. Sometimes, hypotheses are very general and informal questions: hypotheses are often stated in more formal and specific terms. Usually such formal hypotheses state that two or more variables are related to one another. Thus, researchers might formulate hypotheses such as crowding results in reduced performance on cognitive tasks . Such hypotheses are formulated on the basis of past research findings and theoretical considerations. The researcher will then design a study to test the hypothesis: at this point, the researcher would make a specific prediction concerning the outcome of this experiment.
