“Chapter 5 Hypothesis Meaning of Hypothesis ‘Hypo’ means less than or under; and ‘thesis’ means idea or general opinion to be defended by a person and thus ‘hypothesis’ means an ideg formed beforehand which has less value than the generally formed view, If we have to proceed towards some destination for which we dont know the way, we try to form an idea about the direction to proceed and by trial and error, we reach that goal. The primary idea is called a hypothesis. The Webster’s New International Dictionary gives the meaning of the term ‘hypothesis’ as "a proposition, condition or principle which is assumed, perhaps without belief, in order to draw out its logical consequences and by this method to test its accord with facts which are known or may be defined". According to George A. Lundberg, "A hypothesis is a tentative generalization, the validity of which remains to be tested. In its most elementary stage the hypothesis may be any hunch, guess, imaginative idea, which becomes the basis for action or investigation." According to Werkmeister, "The guesses he makes are the hypothesis which either solve the problems or guide him in further investigation." According to Goode and Hatt, "Hypothesis is a proposition which can be put to test to determine its validity." Robert A Berslein and James A Dyer say, "A hypothesis is a assertion of a causal association between two properties." ; ‘Cohen and Nagel say, “We cannot take a single step forward in any inquiry unless we begin with a suggested explanation or solution of the difficulty which originated it. Such tentative explanations are suggested (0 us by something in the subject matter and by our previous knowledge. When they are formulated as propositions, they are called hypothesis." McGuigan has defined hypothesis as ‘a testable statement of # potential relationship between two (or more) variables’. a ae to oo and Stothers, "A hypothesis is written in such . way can be proven or disproven by valid and reliable data—it is » order to obtain these data that we perform our study." As per Kerlinger, "A hy ora * the : 7 > 'ypothesis ent of relationship between two or more variables." za Bailey says, "A proposition that is i d that . 7 stated in a testable form ane". predicts a particular relationship between two or more variables e (168 )Hypothesis 169 hypothesis." According to Blackstone and Champion, "A tentative statement about something the validity of which is usually unknown." Theodorson and Theodorson define hypothesis as "a tentative statement asserting a relationship between certain facts’. According to Moshin, "Hypothesis is a conjectural statement about a relationship among two or more variable." Kothari defines hypothesis as "a proposition or a set of propositions set forth as an explanation for the occurrence of some specified group of phenomena either asserted merely as a provisional conjecture to guide some investigation or accepted as highly probable in the light of the established facts. Quite often a research hypothesis is a predictive statement, capable of being tested by scientific methods, that relates an independent variable to some dependent variable." In short, we can define hypothesis as a tentative statement which expresses the nature of relationship between two or more variables usually in the form of cause-effect relationship. Scientific hypotheses are empirical testable statements deduced from a theory. They present the relationship between the variables in a testable form, for example, poverty is a cause of crime. Hypothesis provides direction to research. It directs an investigator to identify the procedures and methods to be followed in solving the problem. The hypothesis is forward looking. It may be a statement of relationship or it may specify the functions. For any problem framing the hypothesis requires prior knowledge of the phenomena. We can frame master hypothesis and subsidiary hypothesis. ertracteristics or Qualities of a Useful or Workable Hypothesis. (Criteria to Form a Good Hypothesis) (Conditions of Good Hypothesis) Hypothesis expresses a relationship between two or more variables. To formulate a hypothesis, different variables related to the problem should be identified. The variables can be measured. The variables are expressed as independent or causative variable, dependent or effective variable and intervening variable. These relationships between variables are expressed in the form of cause-effect relationship. The relationship can be positive, negative; full or partial. Hypothesis is an explanation that needs to be established before it can be examined. on A good hypothesis is one which is testable and must be based directly existing data. It might even be expected to predict or anticipate prviously unknown data. According to Galtung, there are ten dimensions 2 useful hypothesis : (i) generality, (ii) complexity, (iii) specificity, (iv) determinancy, (v) falsifiability, (vi) testability, (vii) communicability, (viii) Teproductibility, (ix) predictability, and (x) tenability. The following are the characteristics of well-formulated research170 Legal Research Methodology hypothesis: _, (1) Testable and Verifiable—A hypothesis must be testable, taking into acéoant current knowledge and technique, and be realistic. A research hypothesis has to be checked for possible approval or rejection. This analysis is done statistically and therefore it should be such that can be tested ang analyzed. After analysis, the results can be obtained. Some hypothesis cannot be tested because they are too subjective and they are not suitable for research. Research needs objectivity and evidences and without these two things any research is impossible to conduct. The hypothesis which could not be tested and proved should be avoided. (2) Simple and Clear—The wording of the hypothesis should be simple~and clear. Any complex ideas and wordings should be avoided. A simple hypothesis will make it easier for you to carry on throughout the research and will be easy to read and understand. In addition to the terminology and phrasing the hypothesis should be clear in your mind from every perspective. If there are any ambiguities or questions in your mind, resolve them at this stage, if they are not clear, you will find it hard to conduct the study in later stages. (83)_Bélevant.—The hypothesis should be relevant to the study that you are about to conduct. An irrelevant hypothesis will lead to an invalid research. Hypothesis is the possible answer to your research question, if your presumption or your presumed answer is wrong and irrelevant, your method to find its accuracy too will not result in any relevant conclusions. Check whether your hypothesis is related to the direction in which you have / planned to take your research or not. Soot and Hatt suggest the following characteristics of a useful hypothesis ()) Specifie.—The hypothesis should not be too vague or general. There is a general tendency to select hypothesis that are too vast. (2) Conceptually Clear—The hypothesis should be properly expressed. The definition and terms used in the hypothesis should be those which are commonly accepted terms and not our own creations. If new terms have to be used, their definition and meaning in terms of already existing concept should be made clear. @) Related to Available Technique.—The hypothesis should be capable of being verified. For this purpose we have to take into consideration the technique of study that is available. (4) Related to Body of Theory.—It is desirable that hypothesis selected must be in continuation with theory already evolved. (6) Capable of Empirical Test—The by i ; ae pothesis should be such as can be put to empirical test. Empirical test i q + octivi hich is so essential for any scientific method, ah 26 She basis of chjeetiviy (6) Simple.—It should have logical simplici more insight the researcher has into the probler, re hypothesis about it." The hypothesis should be simple and to the point. We can add some more characteristics to the above characteristics * Young says, “The the simple will be his———— —E 4 Hypothesis 471 (7) It should be closest to the things observable. (g) It should be expressed in a quantified form or be susceptible to venient quantification. ” (9) It must be stated in such a way as to allow it to be refuted. (10) It should be a non-contradictory one. (11) It should be capable of being investigated with the available tools and techniques of research. sces of Hypothesis CoptonatS Goode and Hatt have given the following sources of a hypothesis : (1) General Culture.—The general pattern of culture helps not only to formulate a hypothesis, but also to guide its trend. (2) Scientific Theory.—Theory gives us the basic idea of what has been found to be correct and the knowledge of theory leads us to form further generalizations and these generalizations form the part of hypothesis. (3) Analogies.—Sometimes a hypothesis is formed from the analogy. A similarity between the phenomena is observed and hypothesis is formed to test whether the two phenomena are similar in any other respect. (4) Personal Experience.—Hypothesis is formulated according to the way in which an individual reacts to culture, science and analogy. The facts will be true but the hypothesis may be formulated when a rightful individual sees it in a rightful perspective. Wilkinson and Bhandarkar give the following major sources of hypothesis : (1) The history of science provides an eloquent testimony to the fact that personal experiences of the scientist contribute a great deal to the type and form of questions he may ask. (2) Analogies are often a fountain-head of valuable hypotheses. (3) Hypothesis may rest also on the findings of other studies. (4) A hypothesis may stem from a body of theory, and (5) Value-orientation of the culture in which a science develops may furnish its basic hypothesis. In addition to the above sources of hypothesis, the theory itself is a Source tg_form a hypothesis. Some deviant cases can be a source of hypothes: Formulation of Hypothesis A hypothesis is the starting point of any investigation or inquiry in the Process of legal research. For any research to begin, it is always initiated with a problem of inquiry. It is called a tentative statement or Seneralisation or assumption or proposition. Whatever it be, it has to be very clear, simple and definite without any creeping ambiguity therein. The Condition attached to it is that a hypothesis must be empirically verifiable, table and comparable with the observed facts regarding a phenomenon orPa en 2 a rs Hypothesis 173 (2) He should identify the reflection that is cause and consequence of the phenomen>- : (3) He should logically deduct the fact relating to the phenomena. (4) He should keep it ready for verification with the empirical situation. yy ‘of Hypotheses The kinds of hypotheses can be explained in many ways taking the base oD which they are classified. One type of hypothesis asserts that something in the case in a given stance that a particular object, person or situation has a particular characteristic. Another type deals with the frequency of occurrences or of association among variables. Yet another type of hypothesis asserts that a articular characteristic is one of the factors which determine another characteristic and this is known as causal hypothesis. There are hypotheses stating relationships. Some specify functions and thirdly null hypothesis which study the non- existence of the relationship between variables. Hypotheses can be divided into two broad categories :— (a) Experimental, and (b) non-experimental. Experimental hypotheses can again be sub-divided into : (i) existential and (ii) statistical hypotheses. Statistical hypotheses may be further categorised as : (i) null hypotheses, -and (ii) constructive experimental hypotheses. The constructive hypotheses can be negative or positive. Non-experimental hypotheses are of three forms : @) simple level (ii) complex level and, (iii) functional level hypotheses. P. V. Young has divided the hypotheses into three broad categories; They are :— (1) Uniform.—Uniform hypotheses relate to the existence of empirical uniformities. They are commonsense propositions and merely show regularities. (2) Complex.—The complex types type. They outline the existence of logic empirical uniformities. (3) Analytic.—The analytic hypotheses de analytic variables. They are aimed at finding out changes in one property leading to changes in another. Another classification divides hypotheses into -— (1) Uni-variable and Multi-variable.—Uni-variable hypotheses describe only one variable. Multi-variable hypotheses involve two or more than two variables. + ations (2) Associational and Non-associational.— Associa hypotheses show association or relationship between ‘two veeeative On-associational hypotheses show absence of relationship oF 8 in are concerned with complex ideal ally desired relationships between al with the relationship of t the relationship between174 Legal Research Methodology relationship between two variables. Non- associational hypotheses are algo known as null-hypotheses. (3) Universal and Statistical—Universal hypotheses tel] about a phenomena or relationship between variables which is true all the time and at all places. Statistical hypotheses talk of probability. (4) Temporal and Cross-sectional.—Temporal hypotheses are true at a point of time. Cross-sectional hypotheses are spelt out as true at the same point in time. Both of them do not imply causality. (5) Descriptive, Relational, | Explanatory—In descriptive hypothesis, there exists propositions of description. When a statement describes the relationship between two variables, it is said to be relational hypothesis. In explanatory hypothesis, there are relational propositions which strongly state the existence of cause-effect relation. (6) Working or Exploratory and Barren Hypothesis.—Working hypothesis is a causal relationship between different facts that are formed by way of earlier observation and probability. If the assumed results of an hypothesis do not conform with the natural laws it is known as barren hypothesis. Ghose explained the following types of hypotheses :— Hypothesis Concerning Law.—This kind of hypothesis explains as to how an agent works to produce a particular effect or event. Hypothesis Concerning an Agent. known, the agent which is working to prod In that event, a hypothesis is often framed Hypothesis Concerning Collocati: arrangement of circumstances. Whi circumstances necess, , it is known as hypothesis regarding collocation, Goode and Hatt have classifie three types on the basis of the level o: —When a law of operation is luce an effect may not be known. to find out the agent. ion.—-Collocation refers to an d the hypotheses into the following f abstraction :— (2) Ata relatively high i : gher level of abstraction are hypotheses uae with complex ‘ideal types’. These hypotheses aim at testing — r logivally derived relationships between empirical uniformities (3) The highest level of ab; i 7 . 1 Je straction are hypoth concern with the relation obtaining amongst analytic vettaniegl | Classification of Hypothesis (1) Working Hypothesiswan, fee 7 -—Working hypothesic ; liminary assumption of the researcher about the eee pe pertioulesly whenHypothesis 7 cient information is not available to establish a hypothesis, and as 7 towards formulating the final research hypothesis. It keeps mere going on in order to find out the fact. (2) Descriptive _ OF Explanatory Hypothesis.—Descriptive hypothesis is a proposition that describes the characteristics of a variable by closely observing what is what. (3) Relational Hypothesis.—It is a proposition which describes the relationship between two variables. The relationship suggested may be positive or negative correlation. It explains how and why things are going on, by suggesting meaningful inter-connections between two or more objects. (4) Research Hypothesis.—Research hypothesis is a researcher's proposition about some fact without reference to its particular attribute. Researcher believes that it is true and wants that it should be proved. (5) Null Hypothesis.—Null hypothesis is a study of existence of non-relationship between variable. It is often written Ho and is called "H sub oh". It is called a null hypothesis because it is an ‘empty’ hypothesis of no scientific interest. (6) Statistical Hypothesis—It is a statement about statistical populations that one seeks to support or refute. The things are reduced to a numerical quantities-and decisions are made about these quantities. Null Hypotheses The hypotheses may be classified as hypotheses stating relationship and hypotheses which study the existence of no relationship between variables or hypothesis. The null hypotheses may be crude or refined. When a null hypothesis is stated negatively, it is called a null hypothesis. A crude null hypothesis is one which is at the low level of abstraction and it does not lead to higher theoretical research. A refined hypothesis is one which has more significance in research. The null hypothesis asserts that there is no difference between two populations in respect of some property and that the difference found between the samples drawn from these populations is only accidental and unimportant. Null hypothesis is a testable hypothesis. HLM. Garrett remarks, "The null hypothesis is akin to the legal principle that a man is innocent until he is proved guilty. It constitutes a challenge and the function of a research is to give facts a chance to refute this challenge." Advantages of Null Hypothesis (1) It is exact. (2) It is easier to disprove the Prove it with complete certainty. (3) Null hypothesis enables the resear' ternative hypotheses. (4) According to Karl Popper, Possibility of empirical disproof." testing a null (5) ‘The statistical techniques are better adapted to contrary of any hypothesis than to cher to eliminate some of the “The real basis of science is the176 Legal Research Methodology hypotheses. Disadvantages (1) In null hypothesis, the researcher has to prove that all the possibje identified alternatives one by one have probable relations. (2) It is suitable to certain types of problems only. (3) It requires great skill of the researcher. Benefits of Hypothesis Hypothesis has the following benefits : (1) Clarity—Hypothesis brings clarity to research. It makes your mind clear about the way in which you have to carry on the research, Methodology of the research depends greatly on the research hypothesis, Clarity brings fifty per cent chances of success in research. At each step, you need to be clear about every aspect and dimension. If you are not clear about a single thing you should not go forward, stay wherever you are and resolve issue and then move to the next-step. (2) Focus.—You formulate your research hypothesis and you get a focal point in your research You need not go off the track and stay intact to the main objective which you set for the hypothesis. Your research becomes organized and haphazard actions are minimized. (3) Direction.—Hypothesis sets a direction of research. This direction shows you what should be the objectives, methodology, mode of analysis and research design. With a hypothesis, you have a confidence that whatever you have presumed will be tested rather than testing something that is irrelevant to the research. (4) Objectivity—Every research requires objectivity but without hypothesis you. may collect data which is not relevant to the research and hence decrease the objectivity of the research. When you know that your hypothesis only deals with a particular aspect of the phenomenon you i not collect data that is not required and the objectivity and validity of the research increases. : _@) Add to the Body of Knowledge.—A hypothesis adds to the available body of knowledge relating to the research topic. After giving through literature you form your hypothesis which is new and important for further study. Further, hypothesis has the following advantages too. ms