Formulating the Hypothesis

A hypothesis is a potential answer to your research question; the research process helps you determine if your hypothesis is true.

Learning Objective

Explain how hypotheses are used in sociological research and the difference between dependent and independent variables

Key Points

Hypotheses are testable explanations of a problem, phenomenon, or observation.
Both quantitative and qualitative research involve formulating a hypothesis to address the research problem.
Hypotheses that suggest a causal relationship involve at least one independent variable and at least one dependent variable; in other words, one variable which is presumed to affect the other.
An independent variable is one whose value is manipulated by the researcher or experimenter.
A dependent variable is a variable whose values are presumed to change as a result of changes in the independent variable.

Terms

hypothesis
Used loosely, a tentative conjecture explaining an observation, phenomenon, or scientific problem that can be tested by further observation, investigation, or experimentation.
dependent variable
In an equation, the variable whose value depends on one or more variables in the equation.
independent variable
In an equation, any variable whose value is not dependent on any other in the equation.

Examples

In his book Making Democracy Work, Robert Putnam developed a theory that social capital makes government more responsive. To demonstrate his theory, he tested several hypotheses about the ways that social capital influences government. One of his hypotheses was that regions with strong traditions of civic engagement would have more responsive, more democratic, and more efficient governments, regardless of the institutional form that government took. This is an example of a causal hypothesis. In this hypothesis, the independent (causal) variable is civic engagement and the dependent variables (or effects) are the qualities of government. To test this hypothesis, he compared twenty different regional Italian governments. All of these governments had similar institutions, but the regions had different traditions of civic engagement. In southern Italy, politics were traditionally patrimonial, whereas in northern Italy, politics were traditionally more open and citizens were more engaged. Putnam's evidence supported his hypothesis: in the north, which had a stronger tradition of civic engagement, government was indeed more responsive and more democratic.
To test this hypothesis, he compared twenty different regional Italian governments. All of these governments had similar institutions, but the regions had different traditions of civic engagement. In southern Italy, politics were traditionally patrimonial, whereas in northern Italy, politics were traditionally more open and citizens were more engaged. Putnam's evidence supported his hypothesis: in the north, which had a stronger tradition of civic engaegment, government was indeed more responsive and more democratic.

Full Text

A hypothesis is an assumption or suggested explanation about how two or more variables are related. It is a crucial step in the scientific method and, therefore, a vital aspect of all scientific research . There are no definitive guidelines for the production of new hypotheses. The history of science is filled with stories of scientists claiming a flash of inspiration, or a hunch, which then motivated them to look for evidence to support or refute the idea.

The Scientific Method is an Essential Tool in Research

This image lists the various stages of the scientific method.

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. If results contradict the predictions, then the hypothesis under examination is incorrect or incomplete and must be revised or abandoned. If results confirm the predictions, then the hypothesis might be correct but is still subject to further testing.

Both quantitative and qualitative research involve formulating a hypothesis to address the research problem. A hypothesis will generally provide a causal explanation or propose some association between two variables. Variables are measurable phenomena whose values can change under different conditions. For example, if the hypothesis is a causal explanation, it will involve at least one dependent variable and one independent variable. In research, independent variables are the cause of the change. The dependent variable is the effect, or thing that is changed. In other words, the value of a dependent variable depends on the value of the independent variable. Of course, this assumes that there is an actual relationship between the two variables. If there is no relationship, then the value of the dependent variable does not depend on the value of the independent variable.

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