hypothesis

(noun)

Used loosely, a tentative conjecture explaining an observation, phenomenon, or scientific problem that can be tested by further observation, investigation, or experimentation.

Related Terms

Examples of hypothesis in the following topics:

  • Formulating the Hypothesis

    • A hypothesis is a potential answer to your research question; the research process helps you determine if your hypothesis is true.
    • This is an example of a causal hypothesis.
    • To test this hypothesis, he compared twenty different regional Italian governments.
    • To test this hypothesis, he compared twenty different regional Italian governments.
    • While there is no single way to develop a hypothesis, a useful hypothesis will use deductive reasoning to make predictions that can be experimentally assessed.

  • Experiments

    • Experiments are tests designed to prove or disprove a hypothesis by controlling for pertinent variables.
    • Scientists form a hypothesis, which is a prediction or an idea that has not yet been tested.
    • In order to prove or disprove the hypothesis, scientists must perform experiments.
    • The experiment is a controlled test designed specifically to prove or disprove the hypothesis .
    • An experiment is a controlled test designed specifically to prove or disprove a hypothesis.

  • Hypotheses about one mean or density

    • In the analysis of variables, this is testing a hypothesis about a single-sample mean or proportion.
    • We might want to be confident that there actually are ties present (null hypothesis: network density is really zero, and any deviation that we observe is due to random variation).
    • We might want to test the hypothesis that the proportion of binary ties present differs from .50; we might want to test the hypothesis that the average strength of a valued tie differs from "3."
    • Figure 18.6 shows the results of the hypothesis test.
    • How often would a difference this large happen by random sampling variation, if the null hypothesis (density = 1.000) was really true in the population?

  • Language and Perception

    • Popularly known as the Sapir–Whorf hypothesis, or Whorfianism, the principle is often defined as having two versions:
    • The hypothesis of linguistic determinism is now generally agreed to be false, though many researchers are still studying weaker forms of correlation, often producing positive empirical evidence for a correlation .
    • The Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis suggests that language shapes the way we see the world.

  • Hypotheses about the means of two groups

    • We would like to test this hypothesis by comparing the average out-degree of governmental and non-governmental actors in one organizational field.
    • This would seem to support our hypothesis; but tests of statistical significance urge considerable caution.
    • Differences as large as 6.481 in favor of government organizations happen 33.4% of the time in random trials -- so we would be taking an unacceptable risk of being wrong if we concluded that the data were consistent with our research hypothesis.

  • Hypotheses about two paired means or densities

    • The conventional approach greatly underestimates the true sampling variability, and gives a result that is too optimistic in rejecting the null hypothesis that the two densities are the same.
    • If we had a prior alternative hypothesis about the direction of the difference, we could use the one-tailed p level of .0052.

  • A note on statistics and social network data

    • In many cases, the same or closely related tools are used for questions of assessing generalizability and for hypothesis testing.
    • The basic logic of hypothesis testing is to compare an observed result in a sample to some null hypothesis value, relative to the sampling variability of the result under the assumption that the null hypothesis is true.
    • If the sample result differs greatly from what was likely to have been observed under the assumption that the null hypothesis is true -- then the null hypothesis is probably not true.
    • The key link in the inferential chain of hypothesis testing is the estimation of the standard errors of statistics.
    • These differences are quite consequential for both the questions of generalization of findings, and for the mechanics of hypothesis testing.

  • The Scientific Method

    • 2) Hypothesis (a theoretical, hypothetical explanation of the observations and / or measurements)
    • 3) Prediction (logical deduction from the hypothesis or logical induction from the data)
    • A hypothesis includes a suggested explanation of the subject.
    • If results confirm the predictions, then the hypothesis might be correct but is still subject to further testing.
    • For instance, failure of a hypothesis to produce interesting and testable predictions may lead to reconsideration of the hypothesis or of the definition of the subject.

  • Theory and Practice

    • Rather than beginning with a hypothesis, the first step is data collection through a variety of methods.
    • From these concepts, categories are formed, which are the basis for the creation of a theory, or a reverse engineered hypothesis.
    • Social scientists begin with an observation (a practice), then they develop a hypothesis (or theory), and then, devise an empirical study to test their hypothesis.

  • The Incest Taboo, Marriage, and the Family

    • The most widely held hypothesis proposes that the so-called Westermarck effect discourages adults from engaging in sexual relations with individuals with whom they grew up.
    • This hypothesis has also achieved some empirical support.