Lecture 3 - Theories, Hypotheses, & Operational Definitions

Theory

Used to make predictions about the results of future studies, can describe or explain a body of data

Coherence

Means that the general principles about behavior or a phenomenon that the theory explains “stick together” well

Parsimonious

Use fewest possible general principles or assumptions for explanations about something

Testable

Assess the tenants of the theory given current-day methodologies

Supported by Data

Good theories are supported by lots of high-quality data

Falsifiable

Ideas about behavior or phenomenon derived from the theory must be able to be shown to be false, if indeed they are false

Precision in Predicition

Predictions from a theory about what the results of future studies might be needed to be precise

Hypotheses

Prediction about the outcome of a particular study that i derived from one or more theory

Non-directional hypothesis

Does not specify the pattern of relation or group difference that is expected

Directional hypothesis

Specifies the pattern of the relation or group difference by explicitly stating which way the results are expected to go