Which of the following is true of the relationship between hypotheses and theories

Answered By: APUS LibrariansLast Updated: May 19, 2020     Views: 41284

In casual, non-scientific conversation the words hypothesis and theory are often used to mean the same thing: an idea, or notion, or hunch about something.  In reality, they are quite different.

A hypothesis is an educated guess or prediction about the relationship between two variables. It must be a testable statement; something that you can support or falsify with observable evidence.

The objective of a hypothesis is for an idea to be tested, not proven. The results of a hypothesis test can demonstrate only whether that specific hypothesis is or is not supported by the evidence. But, when many studies produce similar outcomes, then together they may suggest a theory for the phenomenon under investigation.

A theory is a well-established, tested explanation that provides a unified description of some aspect of the natural world. A theory is based on substantiated data, repeated testing, and the consensus of a wide group of scientists/researchers.

The objective of a theory is to attempt to explain phenomena that have been studied extensively and carefully over time by many researchers. A theory doesn’t prove that the “unified description” is true. But, because theory is a result of scientifically rigorous research, it is more likely that the theory is true (as compared to a single hypothesis). Any theory can (and should) be tested but the tests must be scientifically conducted and reviewed by many, qualified researchers/scientists.

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A hypothesis is either a suggested explanation for an observable phenomenon, or a reasoned prediction of a possible causal correlation among multiple phenomena. In science, a theory is a tested, well-substantiated, unifying explanation for a set of verified, proven factors. A theory is always backed by evidence; a hypothesis is only a suggested possible outcome, and is testable and falsifiable.

Comparison chart

	Hypothesis	Theory
Definition	A suggested explanation for an observable phenomenon or prediction of a possible causal correlation among multiple phenomena.	In science, a theory is a well-substantiated, unifying explanation for a set of verified, proven hypotheses.
Based on	Suggestion, possibility, projection or prediction, but the result is uncertain.	Evidence, verification, repeated testing, wide scientific consensus
Testable	Yes	Yes
Falsifiable	Yes	Yes
Is well-substantiated?	No	Yes
Is well-tested?	No	Yes
Data	Usually based on very limited data	Based on a very wide set of data tested under various circumstances.
Instance	Specific: Hypothesis is usually based on a very specific observation and is limited to that instance.	General: A theory is the establishment of a general principle through multiple tests and experiments, and this principle may apply to various specific instances.
Purpose	To present an uncertain possibility that can be explored further through experiments and observations.	To explain why a large set of observations are consistently made.

Examples of Theory and Hypothesis

"No amount of experimentation can ever prove me right; a single experiment can prove me wrong." —Albert Einstein

Theory: Einstein's theory of relativity is a theory because it has been tested and verified innumerable times, with results consistently verifying Einstein's conclusion. However, simply because Einstein's conclusion has become a theory does not mean testing of this theory has stopped; all science is ongoing. See also the Big Bang theory, germ theory, and climate change.

Hypothesis: One might think that a prisoner who learns a work skill while in prison will be less likely to commit a crime when released. This is a hypothesis, an "educated guess." The scientific method can be used to test this hypothesis, to either prove it is false or prove that it warrants further study. (Note: Simply because a hypothesis is not found to be false does not mean it is true all or even most of the time. If it is consistently true after considerable time and research, it may be on its way to becoming a theory.)

This video further explains the difference between a theory and a hypothesis:

Common Misconception

People often tend to say "theory" when what they're actually talking about is a hypothesis. For instance, "Migraines are caused by drinking coffee after 2 p.m. — well, it's just a theory, not a rule."

This is actually a logically reasoned proposal based on an observation — say 2 instances of drinking coffee after 2 p.m. caused a migraine — but even if this were true, the migraine could have actually been caused by some other factors.

Because this observation is merely a reasoned possibility, it is testable and can be falsified — which makes it a hypothesis, not a theory.

References

• What is a Scientific Hypothesis? - LiveScience
• Wikipedia:Scientific theory
• Hypothesis

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