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Hypotheses Generation
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Hypothesis
A statement that provides a tentative
explanation for a behavior, or a means of
testing whether that explanation is true.
A prediction about the relation between the IV
and the DV.
How to come up with a hypothesis?
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Start with a phenomenon that interests you
Why do people text when they drive?
Come up with a logical explanation
Because they don’t think an accident will befall them.
Form a hypothesis
If people text because they don’t think they will get into
an accident, then they will be less likely to text when
there are more cars on the road.
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There is more than one way
to answer a question.
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What makes a good
hypothesis?
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Clear predictions
Constrained outcomes
Well-defined terms
E.g., Abused children have lower-self esteem than
non-abused children.
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Turn your idea into general
implication form.
General Implication Form
You must be able to state the research question in
general implication (if... then) form.
The if refers to the IV manipulation(s) that you are
going to make; the then refers to the changes you
expect to observe.
Let’s put the abused children and self-esteem example
into general implication form.
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If a child has suffered abuse then he/
she would have lower self-esteem
than a child who has not suffered
any abuse.
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Does giving a lot of exams hurt course
evaluation ratings for the instructor?
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Third graders' spelling can be improved
by awarding them an M&M each time
they spell a word correctly.
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Playing FPS video games make people
violent.
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Logics involved in forming a
research question
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Inductive Logic
Reason from specific cases to general principles.
The process involved in constructing theories from
data.
Deductive Logic
Reason from general principles to specific conclusions
or predictions.
The process involved in formulating research
hypothesis from a lit review.
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Inductive Logic
Bystander Effect (Darley & Latané, 1968)
Kitty Genovese was murdered.
Many witnesses, nobody helped.
Based on the results of several experiments,
Darley and Latané theorized that people are less
likely to help others with bystanders present than
without.
Kitty Genovese
Deductive Logic
From general to specific
One can use the theory of bystander influence to
make specific hypotheses and predictions.
E.g., People become less likely to help as the
number of bystanders increase.
E.g., The bystander influence lessens as the number
of bystander increase.
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There is more than one way
to test a hypothesis.
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Evaluate these hypotheses
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Clear predictions
Constrained outcomes
Well-defined terms
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People with an unusually high
level of testosterone are
particularly likely to commit
violent crimes.
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Serial killers are different from
normal people.
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Our brain stores memories of
everything that we have
experienced.
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Illinois politicians are the most
corrupt in the United States.
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Smoking is bad for your health.
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Football players are more
aggressive than baseball players.
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Directional Hypotheses
Specify the direction of the outcome.
E.g., Hockey players are stronger than basketball
players.
Nondirectional Hypotheses
Do not predict the exact directional outcome of an
experiment but only that the groups tested will differ.
E.g., Hockey players and basketball players possess
different strength.
Homework
Come up with 2 hypotheses in
general implication form and
email them to me before 5pm on
Wednesday.
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