Table of Contents
What does it mean when the null hypothesis has been rejected?
After a performing a test, scientists can: Reject the null hypothesis (meaning there is a definite, consequential relationship between the two phenomena), or. Fail to reject the null hypothesis (meaning the test has not identified a consequential relationship between the two phenomena)
The Falsification Principle, proposed by Karl Popper, is a way of demarcating science from non-science. It suggests that for a theory to be considered scientific it must be able to be tested and conceivably proven false. For example, the hypothesis that “all swans are white,” can be falsified by observing a black swan.
Is the null hypothesis is falsifiable?
In a scientific context, falsifiability is sometimes considered synonymous with testability. The null hypothesis provides the basis of falsifiability, describing what the outcome would demonstrate, should the prediction of the hypothesis not be supported by the study.
What does reject and fail to reject mean?
When your p-value is less than or equal to your significance level, you reject the null hypothesis. Your results are statistically significant. When your p-value is greater than your significance level, you fail to reject the null hypothesis. Your results are not significant.
Why is it important that your hypothesis be falsifiable?
Hypotheses should be clearly stated so that they are easily understandable. They should be testable in an experiment, so that they can advance theory. They should be falsifiable, so that they can be proven wrong if they are incorrect.
Which statement is not falsifiable?
Other statements or hypotheses are not falsifiable, not because they are tautological, but because they refer to inherently unobservable phenomena. For example, the claims “God exists” and “God created the world” are not falsifiable because they cannot be tested; as a result, they are unscientific.