HYPOTHESIS

By

PREETY SHEKHARASSISTANT PROFESSOR & HEAD

DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY

GAUTAM BUDDHA MAHILA COLLEGE, GAYA

MAGADH UNIVERSITY, BODH GAYA

Meaning & Nature

Volume I

Content➢ What is Hypothesis?➢ Definitions of Hypothesis.➢ Nature of Hypothesis.➢ Criteria of a Good Hypothesis.➢ Sources of Hypothesis.

✓ The word hypothesis consists of two words – Hypo +Thesis.

✓ ‘Hypo’ means tentative or subject to the verification.

✓ ‘Thesis’ means statement about solution of the problem.

✓ Thus the literal meaning of the term hypothesis is a tentativestatement about the solution of the problem. Hypothesisoffers a solution of the problem that is to be verifiedempirically and based on some rationale.

What is Hypothesis?

✓ A hypothesis is a tentative statement about the relationshipbetween two or more variables.

✓ Hypothesis is a specific, testable prediction about whatsomeone is expecting to happen in a study.

✓ A research hypothesis is a specific, clear, and testableproposition or predictive statement about the possibleoutcome of a scientific research study based on aparticular property of a population, such as presumeddifferences between groups on a particular variable orrelationships between variables.

What is Hypothesis?

According to McGuigan (1990): “A testable statement of apotential relationship between two or more variables is calledHypothesis.”

According to Kerlinger (1986): “A hypothesis is a conjecturalstatement of thew relation between two or more variables.Hypotheses are always in declarative sentence form and theyrelate either generally or specifically variables to variables.”

’Hypo’ means the composition of two or more variables which areto be verified and ‘Thesis’ means position of these variables in thespecific frame of reference. Thus it is clear that, A hypothesis is aformal tentative statement of the expected relationship betweentwo or more variables under study.

What is Hypothesis?

✓ The research hypotheses is one of the most importantsteps in planning a scientific quantitative research study.

✓ An expectation about the results of the study in one ormore research hypotheses is usually stated by aquantitative researcher before conducting the study.

✓ The design of the research study and the planned researchdesign often is determined by the stated hypotheses.

What is Hypothesis?

Some

Definitions

&

Nature

of

Hypothesis

“Any supposition which we make in order to endeavor to deduceconclusions in accordance with facts which are known to be realunder the idea that if the conclusions to which the hypothesisleads are known truths, the hypothesis itself either must be or atleast likely to be true.”

J.S. Mill

“A hypothesis is a statement temporarily accepted as true in thelight of what is, at the time, known about a phenomenon, and itis employed as a basis for action in the search for new, truth,when the hypothesis is fully established, it may take the form offacts, principles and theories.”

Barr and Scates

Definitions of Hypothesis

“It is a shrewd guess or inference that is formulated andprovisionally adopted to explain observed facts or conditions and toguide in further investigation.”

John W. Best

“A hypothesis is a tentative generalization the validity of whichremains to be tested. In its most elementary stage the hypothesismay be any hunch, guess, imaginative idea which becomes basisfor further investigation.”

Lundberg

“Hypothesis is an assumption whose testability is to be tested onthe basis of the compatibility of its implications with empiricalevidence and previous knowledge.”

Gorge J. Mouly

Definitions of Hypothesis

Nature of Hypothesis

Following are the nature of Hypothesis:

(i) Conceptual: There are some kind of conceptual elements in theframework in a hypothesis are involved.

(ii) Verbal statement in a declarative form: It is a verbal expressionof ideas and concepts, which is a declarative sentence form.

(iii) Tentative relationship: It represents the tentative relationshipbetween two or more variables, either general or specific.

(iv) Forward or future oriented: A hypothesis is future-oriented. Itrelates to the future verification which are based on the pastfacts and information but not about that.

(v) Pivot of a scientific research: All research activities are designedfor verification of hypothesis formulated. Thus, it is pivot of ascientific research.

Criteria of a

Good Hypothesis

Criteria of a Good Hypothesis

❖Hypothesis should be testable: The formulated hypothesis shouldbe testable. It is clear by the statement mentioned by McGuigan(1990) that , “ If it is possible to determine that the hypothesis, statedas a proposition, is true or false, then the hypothesis is testable. If it isnot possible to determine that the proposition is either true or false,then the hypothesis is not testable and should be discarded asworthless to the science.”

❖ Formulated Hypothesis should be in general harmony to theother hypotheses of the field: The formulated hypothesis shouldbe in general harmony to the other hypotheses of the particular fieldbut some may be contradictory also. But the contradictory hypothesisis not considered as a good one.

Criteria of a Good Hypothesis

❖Hypothesis should be parsimonious: It is also one of theimportant criteria of a good hypothesis that it should be time, labourand money saving.

❖ Hypothesis should have the trait of logical unity andcomprehensiveness: The formulated hypothesis or hypothesesshould also be logical and comprehensive. When it is difficult to makea single comprehensive hypothesis then sub-hypotheses should beadded.

❖ Hypothesis should be related to the existing body of theory andfacts: A good hypothesis should be related to the existing theory andfacts. Sometimes some researcher formulate some very interestinghypotheses but if it is not related to the existing theories and factsthen it is not considered as a good scientific hypothesis.

Criteria of a Good Hypothesis

❖ Hypothesis should provide maximum deductions orconsequences and it should be general in scope: A goodhypothesis should be general in scope so that it can provide a goodnumber of deduction or consequences. A good hypothesis shouldalso not be too specific or too broad. As said by McGuigan (1990), “In general, the hypothesis that leads to the larger number of importantdeductions will be more fruitful hypothesis.”

❖ Hypothesis should be related to available scientific tests andapparatuses: The proposed hypothesis or hypotheses should alsobe related to the available scientific test and apparatuses otherwisehow the variables could be tested.

❖ Hypothesis should be conceptually clear: The concepts in theformulated hypothesis should be objectively defined and clear.

Sources of

Hypothesis

Sources of Hypothesis

Following are the main sources of hypothesis

Personal Experience Imagination & Thinking

Scientific TheoryObservation

CulturePrevious Study

A hypothesis may be formulated through a number of is sources.

Personal Experience

People have different experiences in their lives which are a very good

source of a research problem and hypothesis. For example, on the

basis of personal experience a researcher may formulate and suggests

some points for the eradication of a various social problem through

developing a good hypothesis. Greater the researcher’s experience

lead to higher degree of formation.

Imagination & Thinking

Creative thinking and imagination of a researcher many times help in

formulating a good hypothesis. Personal ideas and the thinking

capabilities of a researcher would lead to greater number of hypothesis

formulation as well as suggestive measures to various the problem.

Sources of Hypothesis

Observation

Much of the life experiences and learning are the result of

observation. In consideration and undertaking a research problem,

observation is necessary. The collection of previous facts and current

facts related to the problem lead to the formulation of a good

hypothesis.

Scientific Theory

Theories are the explanation of the facts relating to the problem.

Scientific theory is a fertile source of hypothesis formulation. The

theory which is used by a researcher may satisfied the needs of the

researcher and also may add new knowledge to the existing facts.

Sources of Hypothesis

Previous Study

Previous study is also a source of developing a hypothesis. If a

researcher uses previous knowledge about a phenomenon for a

particular topic, then another researcher follows his/her techniques

and formulates some new hypothesis according to the requirement

of their studies. For example, if a research has been carried out in

any particular district then some another researcher may studies the

same problem and applies it to another district.

Culture

Culture is the accumulation of ways of behaving and adoption in a

particular place and time. While formulating a hypothesis for a

problem, culture should be studied as it is a very good source of it.

Sources of Hypothesis

Thank you

To be continued…

Volume II