Stating Aims Flashcards
What is an hypothesis?
A general prediction about what the researcher expects to happen or to find out in an investigation.
What is DIRECTIONAL hypothesis?
- Predict the way one variable will affect another in the study.
- They are used when previous studies have shown a similar effect and the researcher can therefore that the same result will be found.
- Often start with “Participants who…”
What is experimental DIRECTIONAL hypothesis?
- Predicts the specific direction of the relationship between two variables.
- Suggests whether one condition will lead to a higher or lower outcome than the other.
Example: “Ppts who sleep for at least 8 hrs the night before a test will recall more words from a given list than ppts who sleep for 4 hrs or less.”
What is correlational DIRECTIONAL hypothesis?
- Predicts the specific direction of the relationship between two variables.
- Suggests that as one variable changes, the other will change in a specific in a specific way .
- Looks at how naturally occurring variables are related.
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Example: “As the amount of time spent on social media increases, levels of anxiety will increase.”
What is NON-DIRECTIONAL hypothesis?
- Not specific in what they predict
- They are used when previous studies have not shown a similar effect or there is no previous research and the researcher is therefore NOT confident about the outcome of their own study.
- Often start with “There will be…”
What is experimental NON-DIRECTIONAL hypothesis?
- Predicts that there will be a relationship or effect between variables.
- DOES NOT specify the direction of that relationship.
Example: “There will be a difference in memory recall between participants who sleep after studying and those who stay awake after studying.”
What is correlational NON-DIRECTIONAL hypothesis?
- Predicts that there will be a relationship between two variables
- DOES NOT specify the direction of that relationship (whether one variable will increase or decrease as the other changes).
Example: “There is a relationship between the amount of time spent on social media and levels of self-esteem.”
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What is null hypothesis?
- Predicts that there will be no difference between the two conditions of the IV in relation to the DV
- States that there will be no correlation between the two variables.
- They are used when previous studies have not shown a similar effect or there is no previous research and researcher is therefore not confident about the outcome of their own study.
- Often start with “There will be no…”
What is experimental null hypothesis?
- Posits that there is no relationship between the variables being studied
- Suggests that any observed differences/ effects are due to chance
Example: if a researcher is testing whether a new therapy improves anxiety levels, the experimental null hypothesis would state that the therapy has no effect on anxiety, and any differences in anxiety levels between the treatment and control groups are due to random variation.
What is correlational null hypothesis?
- Suggests that there is no correlation (no linear relationship) between the two variables being studied.
- The changes in one variable (e.g., stress) do not predict or affect the other (e.g., sleep quality).
Example: if a researcher is investigating whether there is a correlation between stress and sleep quality, the correlation null hypothesis would state that there is no relationship between stress levels and sleep quality.
What should a scientific hypothesis be?
- Operationalised: Clear and stated in well defined terms (not vague and general)
- Testable: A research study could show if it is correct or wrong
What is operationalisation?
Clearly specifying observable behaviours that represent the more general construct under investigation/ to enable the behaviour under investigation to be measured.
What is the difference between an aim and an hypothesis?
Aim - a statement about what the researcher is intending to investigate/ the purpose of the study.
Hypothesis - testable statement that is accepted or rejected at the end of the study in light of the results.
