Alternatiivhüpotees

Alternatiivhüpotees is a term used in statistical hypothesis testing. It represents the statement that is accepted if the null hypothesis is rejected. The null hypothesis, often denoted as H0, is a statement of no effect or no difference. The alternative hypothesis, denoted as H1 or Ha, is the statement that the researcher is trying to find evidence for. It proposes that there is a significant effect or difference.

In hypothesis testing, researchers aim to gather evidence to either reject or fail to reject the null hypothesis. If the evidence is strong enough, the null hypothesis is rejected in favor of the alternative hypothesis. For example, if a researcher is testing a new drug, the null hypothesis might be that the drug has no effect on blood pressure, while the alternative hypothesis would be that the drug does lower blood pressure.

The alternative hypothesis can be directional or non-directional. A directional alternative hypothesis specifies the direction of the expected effect (e.g., the drug lowers blood pressure). A non-directional alternative hypothesis simply states that there is a difference, without specifying the direction (e.g., the drug affects blood pressure). The choice between a directional and non-directional alternative hypothesis depends on the research question and prior knowledge.

The process of hypothesis testing involves calculating a test statistic and determining a p-value. If the p-value is below a predetermined significance level (alpha), the null hypothesis is rejected, providing support for the alternative hypothesis. The strength of the evidence against the null hypothesis is reflected in the p-value.