Is it possible to prove a research hypothesis?

In t he year and a half that i have been studying Psychology at Bangor, I have come to the understanding that, no, you cannot prove your research hypothesis.

The aim of any scientific research is to falsify, in other words, disprove any given theory.  In fact, theories are encouraged to be as falsifiable as possible!

In order to make a theory falsifiable, two things need to be in place: your theory needs to be precise, and also broad at the same time.  If a theory is precise, there is an increased number of potential falsifiers. If a theory is broad, there is also an increased potential number of falsifiers as there is more than one outcome to the theory.

The progression of science is based on the falsification of a theory, for this theory then to be replaced by another theory which is also falsifiable.

You may have noticed that almost every guide on how to write a research paper, or how to explain a research finding will tell you never to say that this proves that, as it is simply not possible, there are an infinate number of other variables which could have caused the finding, but these can also not be proved as it is not possible to measure variables in isolation.  We can try to minimise them but there will always be extraneous variables which have the potential to evolve into confounding variables.  

7 thoughts on “Is it possible to prove a research hypothesis?

  1. SUP!! great blog, you have a really good writing style which allowed me to read your blog with interest whilst not getting bored. i totally agree with your statement about how no research project can be proven, obviously at the end of the day how can any researcher rule out the possibility of something happening in the future. the only thing i can suggest is to use evidence in your blog to back up your ideas. other than that. GREAT BLOG!!!!

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  3. Interesting blog 🙂 Although I agree with your blog I think as a collective we put too much emphasis on falsifiability and go completely against it and think we are always trying to disprove. Yes but also no. Although we cannot prove, psychologists do strive to support their theory. In a way anything can be proved to a very simplistic individualistic level. However, things change and cannot be broadened to everything which is where the term proved should not be used, and supported should be used instead. In psychology you can never really get rid of a theory even if it is disproved. Because even then other psychologists may research into the area and find different results, supporting hypothesis. Some theories such as obedience, conformity etc, are so heavily supported that they are practically proven, you just cant say this as times may change and in future may not.

  4. Your blog is really easy to read and agree with, I really enjoyed reading it.
    The only thing I can suggest is that you conclude very quickly and this makes the reader feel like they want to know more but there is nothing there.
    Apart from this it was really well written

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  6. Although you say that hypotheses are not provable, you do not go on to detail what this actually means. Although the idea of falsifiability requires that a theory be disprovable, this does not actually mean that it is incorrect, merely that it would be possible to prove that the theory is wrong, if that is the case.

    Absolute proof is something that is usually impossible to obtain but also not necessary.

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