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Sociology vocabulary · Research Methods

Hypothesis

Meaning in sociology, with examples

/haɪˈpɒθəsɪs/nounCore term

In sociology, hypothesis means: A testable statement that predicts a relationship between two or more variables, written before the data are collected and then supported or rejected by the evidence.

In Turkish: hipotez, denence

How it is used

Common in quantitative research and in the methods sections of articles and theses. You formulate, test, support or reject a hypothesis; avoid saying that it was 'proven'. Qualitative studies more often use research questions instead.

Example sentences

  1. Our hypothesis was that people who move house often have weaker ties with their neighbours.

  2. The data supported the first hypothesis but not the second.

Common collocations

  • test a hypothesis
  • formulate a hypothesis
  • support a hypothesis
  • reject a hypothesis
  • null hypothesis
  • variableA characteristic that can take different values from case to case, such as age, income, education level or attitude, and that researchers measure and compare.
  • quantitative researchResearch that collects numerical data, usually from large samples, and uses statistics to measure patterns and test relationships between variables.
  • operationaliseTo turn an abstract concept, such as social class or trust, into something that can be observed and measured, for example through specific survey questions.
  • validityThe extent to which a research method or measure actually captures what it claims to measure and gives a true picture of the social reality being studied.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Research Methods

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