What is a null hypothesis?

What is a null hypothesis?

• A. There will be no relationship between the two variables.
• B. There will be a specific relationship with a direction.
• C. There will be a difference between groups.
• D. There will be a positive relationship only.

Answer: (A)

The null hypothesis is the default assumption that there is no relationship, no effect, and no difference between groups. It states that any observed association between variables is due to chance. In a study involving two variables, the null would say there is no relationship between them. This is the best answer because it captures the idea that the null asserts no effect to be found, against which researchers test and compare the data. The other ideas describe an actual relationship or a difference, which would be what researchers test for as alternative hypotheses rather than the null.

The null hypothesis is the default assumption that there is no relationship, no effect, and no difference between groups. It states that any observed association between variables is due to chance. In a study involving two variables, the null would say there is no relationship between them. This is the best answer because it captures the idea that the null asserts no effect to be found, against which researchers test and compare the data. The other ideas describe an actual relationship or a difference, which would be what researchers test for as alternative hypotheses rather than the null.