Hypothese Flashcards
(20 cards)
What is a hypothesis?
A statement of what the researcher believes to be true
Is a hypothesis the same as a research prediction?
No, it should not be stated in the future tense
What is the difference between a hypothesis and the aims of a research study?
Aims are an initial statement of what the researcher plans to investigate, while a hypothesis is a formal and testable statement of the relationship between variables
What is a directional hypothesis?
States the expected direction of the results between two conditions or groups of participants
Provide an example of a directional hypothesis.
People who have plentiful sleep have better marks in class tests than people with a lower sleep average
What is a non-directional hypothesis?
States that there is a difference between two conditions but does not specify the direction of the difference
Provide an example of a non-directional hypothesis.
People who have plentiful sleep have different marks on class tests than people with a lower sleep average
What is the role of a confederate in a study?
An individual who is not a real participant and has been instructed how to behave by the investigator
What is an example of a directional hypothesis regarding homework and TV?
People who do homework without the TV on produce better results than those who do homework with the TV on
What is an example of a non-directional hypothesis regarding homework and TV?
People who do homework with the TV on produce different results from those who do homework with no TV on
What is a pilot study?
A small-scale trial run of a study to test any aspects of the design, with a view to making improvements
When should psychologists use a directional hypothesis?
When past research suggests that the findings will go in a particular direction
When is a non-directional hypothesis more appropriate?
When there is no past research or past research is contradictory, especially if exploring a new area
What does operationalising a hypothesis involve?
Defining the independent variable (IV) and dependent variable (DV) in measurable terms
True or False: A pilot study is conducted to save time and money.
True
What is the purpose of conducting a pilot study?
To identify what aspects of the design do or don’t work before the real study
What might researchers discover during a pilot study?
Flaws in the study design or issues with participant instructions
Explain the role of a confederate in Milgram’s study.
The confederate played the role of the learner in the experiment
Fill in the blank: A directional hypothesis states the _______ of the predicted difference between two conditions.
direction
Fill in the blank: A non-directional hypothesis predicts simply that there is a _______ between two conditions.
difference
