Hypothese

A Hypothese, or hypothesis in German usage, is a tentative explanation or educated guess intended to be tested by observation and experimentation. It is a statement that makes a specific, falsifiable prediction about the relationship between variables.

In practice, scientists distinguish between the nullhypothese (H0), which proposes no effect or relationship, and the alternativhypothese (Ha or H1), which proposes an effect or relationship. Hypotheses can be directional (predicting the direction of an effect) or nondirectional.

A good Hypothese is clear, testable, and operationalizable, identifying independent and dependent variables and specifying how they will be measured. Hypotheses are typically derived from theory or prior evidence and should be falsifiable.

Testing involves collecting data through experiments or observations and applying statistical or logical criteria to decide whether to reject H0. Conclusions are statements about the evidence, not absolute proofs; replication and assessment of robustness are important.

Hypothesen are distinct from theories: theories provide broad explanations; hypotheses are specific propositions that test aspects of theories. Common limitations include confounding factors and the possibility that a study cannot establish causation.

Example: If a plant receives more light, it will grow taller. Nullhypothese: light level has no effect on plant height. In practice, researchers design tests to determine whether the data support Ha and to what extent the observed effects are reliable and generalizable.