Lesson 2 Flashcards
(26 cards)
What is a hypothesis?
The thesis, the main idea, of an experiment
A predictive relationship between at least two variables
Do nonexperimental designs typically include a hypothesis?
Some nonexperimental designs do not typically include a hypothesis
Examples include phenomenology and case studies
What does a nonexperimental hypothesis predict?
Predicts how events, traits, or behaviors might be related, but not about cause and effect
What does an experimental hypothesis predict?
Predicts cause and effect relationship
What is a characteristic of an experimental hypothesis?
Every experiment has at least one hypothesis
What is a tentative explanation of an event or behavior in a hypothesis?
One that seems plausible
What must be done with a number of possible causes in a hypothesis?
The list must be narrowed down
What are the qualities a hypothesis must possess?
Synthetic, testable, falsifiable, parsimonious, and fruitful
What are synthetic statements?
Can either be true or false
What should be avoided in hypothesis statements?
Analytic statements and contradicting statements
How can synthetic statements be expressed?
In ‘If…then’ form
What must exist for a statement to be testable?
The means for manipulating antecedent conditions and measuring the resulting behavior
What does a falsifiable statement imply?
Must be disprovable by the research finding
What does it mean for a hypothesis to be parsimonious?
A simple hypothesis is preferred over one that requires many supporting assumptions
What do fruitful statements lead to?
New studies
What is the inductive model?
Reasoning from specific cases to more general principles
What is the deductive model?
Reasoning from general principles to make predictions about specific instances
How are the inductive and deductive models typically used in practice?
Both approaches are not so neatly separated
What is the most useful way of finding hypotheses?
Working from research that has already been done
What can prior research help with?
Focusing your thinking on important issues and potential new applications
What does serendipity refer to in research?
A discovery may be made where none was intended
What is intuition in the context of hypothesis formation?
Knowing without reasoning
What should you do when all else fails in hypothesis formation?
Pick a psychology journal and read, observe in a public place, or check out nonexperimental studies
What is an important part of conducting research?
Searching the research literature
