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examBoard: AQA
examType: GCSE
lessonTitle: Alternative Hypothesis
When psychologists want to investigate something, they need to make a clear prediction about what they expect to find. This prediction is called a hypothesis. It's like making an educated guess based on what we already know, which we can then test through research.
Key Definitions:
Hypotheses are the backbone of the scientific method in psychology. They give research a clear direction and purpose. Without a well-formulated hypothesis, researchers wouldn't know what data to collect or how to analyse it!
The alternative hypothesis (sometimes written as H₁ or Ha) is what the researcher actually believes or suspects might be happening. It suggests that the independent variable will have some effect on the dependent variable.
"Students who listen to classical music while studying will perform better on memory tests than students who study in silence."
Independent variable: Background music condition (classical music vs silence)
Dependent variable: Memory test performance
This hypothesis clearly states:
Alternative hypotheses come in two main flavours: directional and non-directional. The difference is important when you're designing research and analysing results.
Predicts the specific direction of the relationship or effect.
Example: "Teenagers who spend more than 3 hours daily on social media will have higher anxiety levels than those who spend less than 1 hour."
Predicts a relationship or difference exists, but doesn't specify the direction.
Example: "There will be a difference in anxiety levels between teenagers who spend more than 3 hours daily on social media and those who spend less than 1 hour."
Directional: When previous research gives you reason to predict a specific direction.
Non-directional: When you're exploring a new area or when evidence is contradictory.
A well-written alternative hypothesis is clear, specific and testable. Here's how to create one:
Let's look at some examples from different areas of psychology to help you understand how alternative hypotheses work in practice:
Alternative Hypothesis: "Participants who use the method of loci memory technique will recall more items from a list than participants who use rote rehearsal."
Type: Directional
Variables: Memory technique (IV) and number of items recalled (DV)
Alternative Hypothesis: "There will be a difference in performance anxiety levels between athletes who practice mindfulness meditation and those who don't."
Type: Non-directional
Variables: Mindfulness practice (IV) and performance anxiety (DV)
Alternative Hypothesis: "Children aged 5-7 who receive praise for effort will persist longer on difficult tasks than children who receive praise for intelligence."
Type: Directional
Variables: Type of praise (IV) and persistence time (DV)
Alternative Hypothesis: "People will conform more in groups of ten than in groups of three."
Type: Directional
Variables: Group size (IV) and conformity level (DV)
Once you've formulated your alternative hypothesis, you need to test it through research. This involves several key steps:
Elizabeth Loftus and John Palmer investigated how language affects memory of events. Their alternative hypothesis was: "Participants who are asked 'How fast were the cars going when they smashed into each other?' will estimate higher speeds than participants asked 'How fast were the cars going when they hit each other?'"
This is a directional alternative hypothesis that clearly identifies the independent variable (the verb used) and the dependent variable (estimated speed). Their research supported this hypothesis, showing how powerful language can be in shaping our memories!
The null and alternative hypotheses work as a pair. They represent two mutually exclusive possibilities:
"There is no effect/difference/relationship"
Example: "There is no difference in test anxiety levels between students who chew gum during exams and those who don't."
"There is an effect/difference/relationship"
Example: "Students who chew gum during exams will have lower test anxiety levels than students who don't chew gum."
When we analyse our data, we're actually testing the null hypothesis. If our results are statistically significant, we reject the null hypothesis and accept the alternative. If not, we fail to reject the null hypothesis (but this doesn't necessarily mean it's true).
Alternative hypotheses are crucial to psychological research because they:
When answering exam questions about alternative hypotheses:
The alternative hypothesis is a fundamental part of psychological research. It predicts that there IS a relationship or difference between variables, in contrast to the null hypothesis which predicts no relationship or difference.
Alternative hypotheses can be directional (predicting the specific direction of the effect) or non-directional (simply predicting a difference without specifying direction). A good alternative hypothesis is clear, specific and testable.
By understanding how to formulate and test alternative hypotheses, you're mastering one of the most important skills in psychological research. This knowledge will help you both in your exams and in understanding psychological studies you encounter in the future.
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