Essay

Based on the provided text, state the specific 'if-then' hypothesis statement used in the cockroach study and recall how it illustrates the connection between a general theory and a specific prediction.

Question: Based on the provided text, state the specific 'if-then' hypothesis statement used in the cockroach study and recall how it illustrates the connection between a general theory and a specific prediction.

Sample answer: The hypothesis is: 'If drive theory is correct, then cockroaches should run through a straight runway faster, and a branching runway more slowly, when other cockroaches are present.' This illustrates the connection by showing how a specific, observable behavioral prediction (the 'then' clause) is logically deduced from a broader, unobservable theoretical framework (the 'if' clause).

Key points:

  • State the hypothesis: 'If drive theory is correct, then cockroaches should run through a straight runway faster, and a branching runway more slowly, when other cockroaches are present.'
  • Explain that the 'if' clause corresponds to the general theoretical framework (drive theory).
  • Explain that the 'then' clause corresponds to the specific, observable prediction about cockroach behavior under observation.
  • Describe how this structure shows a logical deduction from theory to hypothesis.

Rubric: To earn full credit, the student must: 1) State the cockroach study's 'if-then' hypothesis correctly (including the straight/branching runway predictions and social presence); 2) Identify that the 'if' clause represents the general theory (drive theory); 3) Identify that the 'then' clause represents the specific behavioral prediction.

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Updated 2026-05-27

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Research Methods in Psychology - 4th American Edition @ KPU

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