Aims and hypothesis Flashcards
What is an aim?
A statement that explains the purpose of a study
What is a hypothesis?
A clear, precise and testable statement of the impact one variable has on another
What is a variable?
A variable is a ‘thing’ or factor that can vary or change in research
Experiments in psychology test the effect of one variable on another
What is an independent variable?
The factor in a study that varies
How can an independent variable change?
It can be manipulated by the researcher or can vary naturally
What is a dependent variable?
The factor in a study that is measured by the researcher
What is an extraneous variable?
Any variable (except the IV) that could effect the DV
What is operationalisation of a variable?
Variables are stated clearly. They need to be specific and measurable
What are the 2 types of hypothesis?
Alternative hypothesis and null hypothesis
What is an alternative hypothesis?
A statement of effect (either a difference or correlation) between variables
What is a null hypothesis?
A statement of no effect or relationship between variables
What are the 2 types of alternative hypothesis?
Directional and non-directional
What is a non-directional hypothesis?
A type of hypothesis that does not specify the direction of the effect of the independent variable on the dependent variable. It only states that there is some effect, but not whether it is positive or negative
What is a directional hypothesis?
A type of hypothesis used in statistical significance testing that specifies the direction of the tested relationship
