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Analyze the researcher's proposed hypothesis. Based on the characteristics of a good hypothesis, identify which two characteristics are violated and explain why the current formulation is inappropriate for empirical psychological research.
Case context: A psychological researcher wants to study the relationship between studying in groups and quiz performance. They propose the following hypothesis: 'Studying in groups will not cause student quiz scores to decrease, and any potential cognitive alignment that occurs is driven by an unmeasurable telepathic connection between group members.'
Question: Analyze the researcher's proposed hypothesis. Based on the characteristics of a good hypothesis, identify which two characteristics are violated and explain why the current formulation is inappropriate for empirical psychological research.
Sample answer: The researcher's hypothesis violates the characteristics of being positive and being testable/falsifiable. First, it is not positive because it claims that studying in groups 'will not cause student quiz scores to decrease' (stating that an effect does not exist) rather than actively asserting that a specific relationship or effect does exist. Second, it is not testable and falsifiable because it relies on an 'unmeasurable telepathic connection' which cannot be empirically investigated or disproven.
Key points:
- Identify that the hypothesis is not positive because it claims studying in groups will not cause scores to decrease, rather than asserting a specific relationship.
- Identify that the hypothesis is not testable and falsifiable because it relies on an unmeasurable telepathic connection that cannot be empirically disproven.
- Explain that these violations make the hypothesis impossible to evaluate rigorously through empirical investigation.
Rubric: Students must identify that the hypothesis fails the 'positive' criterion (because it asserts a lack of negative effect rather than a positive relationship) and fails the 'testable and falsifiable' criterion (because it uses an unmeasurable telepathic mechanism). They must explain how these issues prevent empirical testing.
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Research Methods in Psychology - 4th American Edition @ KPU
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Testable and Falsifiable Hypothesis
Logical Hypothesis
Positive Hypothesis
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