Mention the Scientific Method and people immediately get the image of a scientist in a white lab coat working with various technical devices to prove or disprove some theoretical property of the physical world. What most do not consider is that the Scientific Method is a process of logic, which isn’t confined to just the realm of hard sciences. It can be applied to less concrete realms, including self-analysis. All one really needs to start the process is a hypothesis.
A hypothesis is defined as, 1 a: an assumption or concession made for the sake of argument b: an interpretation of a practical situation or condition taken as the ground for action 2: a tentative assumption made in order to draw out and test its logical or empirical consequences 3: the antecedent clause of a conditional statement. The idea of formulating a hypothesis and setting about to prove or disprove it can shed insight into one’s own behavior. Those who actively seek out to understand themselves better may use this process without noticing it. After all, one cannot investigate anything unless there is some form of theory to start with. In the case of personal issues, that idea could revolve around why one feels intimidated around strangers, or why one is prone to become enraged over trivial matters. One can come up with an idea or starting point as to where the behavior originated from and then go from there.
However, a hypothesis should not just be any old idea plucked out of the air. One could waste a lot of time chasing down irrelevant ideas and outdated notions. First, it’s important to arrive at a concept that seems reasonable and probable to the problem at hand, which is trickier than most would think. So how does one know if a hypothesis is sound?
The Scientific Method states that a good hypothesis has five characteristics to it: relevance, testability, compatibility, predictive tendencies and simplicity.
- RELEVANCE refers to whether or not the idea is actually connected with the problem or issue at hand. For example, if one is trying to discover the root of an anger issue, it would be irrelevant to say it is linked to people or situations where they felt confident and secure. (i.e. “My anger comes from my fifth birthday party when I got the bike I always wanted.”) A quick way to tell if a hypothesis has relevance is if the question one is trying to answer can be clearly deduced from the hypothesis itself. If your hypothesis is, “To prove that tendencies for withdrawal is directly related discomfort with strangers,” it is obvious that the problem being addresses has to do with shyness.
- TESTABILITY refers to whether or not the hypothesis has some sort of relation with empirical data or experience. In other words, unless the subject becomes shy and withdrawn and can cite exact cases whether this tendency interfered with social function, the hypothesis will not stand. As shyness is something everyone experiences at one point or another, it important to confirm if the perceived problem is in fact really a problem at all. If shyness hasn’t been a reoccurring issue throughout one’s life, the hypotheses (or root problem) needs to be reconsidered.
- COMPATIBILITY has to do with how well the hypothesis stands up to confirmed facts. In the field of science, current knowledge of other related fields has a strong influence as to whether or not an idea will work what is known. Nonetheless, there have been cases where even if a hypothesis isn’t compatible with what is known, it didn’t mean that is wasn’t accurate. A perfect example was Einstein’s Theory of Relativity, which pretty much replaced Newtonian concepts of planetary motion. However, more times than not, compatibility should be taken into account.
- PREDICTIVITY means the hypothesis has a good probability to predict future behaviors or outcomes. General assumptions can be made following a chain of logic, which would also be observable when tested. In reference to self-realization, it should be able to predict a pattern of behavior based on the hypothesis, or could even predict a change in behavior if a shift has occurred in the environment.
- SIMPLICITY does not mean the problem or intended solution has to be easy or effortless. In terms of scientific experimentation, simplicity means the hypothesis can be described very concisely and is not overwrought with exceptions. In short, it should come in a nice, neat package. The same would apply for self-realization. Even if the process in which the hypothesis in proven is nowhere near simple, the statement of the problem should be. If one finds that a number of exceptions or conflicting parameters have to be given to make the hypothesis, it is a clear sign the idea is flawed. Granted, there are always one or two exceptions to everything, but they should be far and few between.
Once a hypothesis has been formed in relation to one’s behavior, one that fits all five of these aspects within some degree, it is time to put it to the test. In Part II, the stages of testing and proving (or disproving) a hypothesis will be examined.