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Sources of Hypotheses: Observation and Prior Research
Scientific hypotheses originate from two primary sources. They can emerge from direct, real-world observations, where a researcher notices a pattern or potential relationship. Alternatively, they can be developed through a thorough review of existing research and established theories, identifying gaps in knowledge or proposing new connections.
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Ch.2 Psychological Research - Psychology @ OpenStax
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Deductive Reasoning
Generating Hypotheses
Example of a Non-Testable Hypothesis
Example of a Hypothesis
Role of Hypothesis Testing in Theory Refinement
Sources of Hypotheses: Observation and Prior Research
The Scientific Standard for Establishing Causality: Controlled Experiments
A researcher is investigating the connection between the amount of time spent on a social media app and users' self-reported levels of happiness. The researcher starts with the general idea that excessive social media use might negatively affect well-being. Which of the following statements represents the most effective and scientifically testable hypothesis for an experiment on this topic?
The 'If-Then' Relationship between Theories and Hypotheses
Testing Competing Theories with Hypotheses
Characteristics of a Good Hypothesis
The Cyclical Process of Scientific Inquiry
Deriving a Hypothesis from the James-Lange Theory
Falsifiability and Confidence in Scientific Research
Requirement of a Hypothesis for Scientific Experiments
A-theoretical Hypothesis
Variable
Population
Which of the following statements best describes a scientific hypothesis?
When an empirical study's results fail to support a specific hypothesis, the broader theory from which that hypothesis was derived is automatically considered disproved.
A psychologist is investigating the relationship between physical activity and mental health. Using the scientific process shown in the image as a guide, match each part of their research process to its correct scientific component.
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Example of a Hypothesis Derived from Observation: Classroom Technology and Learning
Limitations of Personal Observation for Hypothesis Testing
A researcher notices that their friends who own pets seem to report lower stress levels than friends who do not. This leads the researcher to propose a testable explanation about pet ownership and stress. A different researcher reads numerous published articles on sleep and memory, finds that the link between dreaming and skill consolidation is unclear, and proposes a testable explanation. How do the origins of these two proposed explanations differ?
Analyzing the Origin of a Research Idea