The simplistic definition is that the null hypothesis is the opposite of the hypothesis being tested
People who drink coffee before bed will find it hard to sleep
There will be no difference in sleep patterns between people who drink coffee and those that dont
What is a directional hypothesis?
A prediction that states the results will go in one direction. E.g more / less
A natural experiment is when one variable occurs naturally
Grafton et al - they couldn't damage people's pre frontal cortex so they used veterans this is a natural experimnet
What is a debrief?
After an experiment the participant is informed about the experiment.
What is meant by a two tailed test?
A change is predicted but the direction is unknown.
What is an abstract?
The first part of a report that summaries the whole report. It is around 100 - 150 words.
What is a pilot study?
A small scale trail run of a study to test all aspects of the design.
The extent to which a study has been replicated to ensure the results are not just luck
If a study gets the same results again and againit is said to have test-retest reliability
A hypothesis is a testable statement that is a proposed explanation for a phenomenon. For a hypothesis to be a scientific hypothesis, the scientific method requires that one can test it. A working hypothesis is a provisionally accepted hypothesis proposed for further research.