Experimental Hypothesis

• After this topic, students will be able to distinguish between experimental and non-experimental hypotheses, identify the characteristics of a good experimental hypothesis, and apply experimental hypotheses using deduction, induction, intuition, and ideas from research literature

Experimental Hypothesis

• A tentative explanation of an event or behavior
• A statement explaining the effects of specific antecedent conditions on a measured behavior

Key Hypothesis Terminology

• Problem: The main question the study seeks to answer.
• Conceptual Hypothesis: The theoretical argument or contention of a study; the assumption of the study
• Experimental Hypothesis: The statement that provides a measurable perspective of the argument.
• Statistical Hypothesis: Specifies the assumption that aids the decision regarding the null hypothesis.

Characteristics of an Experimental Hypothesis

Synthetic Statement

• Can be either true or false, but not both.
• Examples: "Tutorials can or cannot improve comprehension" / "Tutorials can improve comprehension"

Testable Statement

• There must be a way to manipulate antecedent conditions and measure the resulting behavior.
• Example: "Memory recall of ants exposed to delta music is significantly better than that of those not exposed."

Falsifiable Statement

• Must be disprovable by research findings.
• Example: "Social reward can significantly improve performance task than material reward."

Parsimonious Statement

• the simplest explanation is preferred
• Examples: “Social reward can improve performance task than no social reward" / "Social reward can improve performance task"

Fruitful Statement

• Can lead to a new study
• Uses an "if...then" statement.
• Example: "Social reward can significantly improve performance task than material reward."

Hypothesis Exercise Example

• Scenario: Researchers want to test if hair softness differs significantly when comparing hair softeners, with 600 volunteers using four different products and rating hair softness after one month.
• Hypothesis: "Hair softeners differ significantly when compared on how they soften hair."
• This hypothesis can be true or false, can be tested by manipulating conditions and measuring results, can be disproven, and is a simple statement that can lead to other studies.

Ways to Develop a Hypothesis

Inductive Model

• Reasoning from specific cases to general principles
• Devise general ideas to organize, explain, and predict behavior until more satisfactory principles are found.

Deductive Model

• Reasoning from general principles to make predictions about specific instances
• Rigorously test the implications of a theory.

Prior Research

• Build from past research and non-experimental studies

Serendipity

• Finding things that are not being sought out.
• Example: Pavlov's discovery of classical conditioning during research on dogs' stomach secretions
• Requires knowing when to use an opportunity by using observations and interpreting new ways of approaching problems.

Intuition

• Knowledge without reasoning, guiding the choice of study.
• Review literature to avoid pointless experiments and destroying objectivity.
• Intuitive knowledge is most accurate when it comes from experts, although it cannot be interpreted as right until tested

Other methods

• Everyday observation of behaviors and real-world problems.

Hypothesis Example

• Problem: Can beautiful people get away with their mistakes?
• Conceptual Hypothesis: "Halo Effect – what is beautiful is good."
• Experimental Hypothesis: People tend to be more forgiving to more attractive individuals.
• Statistical Hypothesis: People are willing to forgive attractive individuals more than they would unattractive ones.

Experimental Hypothesis Formulation Prompts

• Will a "straight" speaker be seen as more reliable than a gay speaker?
• Are students' memory recall significantly lower when a teacher speaks with a heavy Bisaya accent?
• Will students favor a new energy drink more than fruit juice?
• Can priming significantly affect one's attraction towards someone?

Generating Experimental Hypotheses

• Read psychology journals to identify topics of interest and develop hypotheses.
• Observe people's behavior in public places.
• Investigate real-world problems to find causes and potential solutions.
• Be realistic about time frames.