PSYB01H3 Chapter 2: PSYB01_Chapter 2
Document Summary
A hypothesis is a tentative idea or question that is waiting for evidence to support it. The researcher then designs a study to test the hypothesis. A prediction concerns to the outcome of the experiment, if the prediction is confirmed by the results of the study the hypotheses is supported. We refer to humans who participate in research as participants. Respondents are people who take part in survey research. Informants are people who help researchers understand cultural or organizational settings. Conducting research to test common sense ideas. Serendipity sometimes the most interesting discoveries are the result of accident or luck. Theories have two important functions: organize and explain simple facts or descriptions of behaviour. Impose a framework that includes abstract concepts: generate new knowledge by guiding our observations of the world. Theory generates hypotheses, and if studies confirm these hypotheses the theory is supported. When a hypotheses is not supported people can modify a theory with new data.