An hypothesis is an explanation or a theory which can be tested by further investigation. It derives from comprehending a relationship between a cause and an effect and developing a theory linking the two. The Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov tested his theory that a repeated stimulation or conditioning could cause a specific response and won the Nobel prize in 1904 for his work. B. F. Skinner, an American psychologist, expanded on the theory by researching human behavior and the relationship of positive reinforcement to human behavior. The degree to which two sets of data are related is the correlation.
Correlational analyses result from the analysis of sets of data to determine relationships.
By studying the IQ scores of good students, researchers determine that IQ scores do have a relationship to academic achievement. A positive or negative correlation between two sets of data does NOT necessarily imply a relationship or causality. Information Researchers who study people and their behavior must understand that confidentiality and privacy often limit the use of information. The rights of subjects in any research project is protected by an ethical agreement between the researcher and the subject. Researchers who are ethical, that is, they have a high moral standard and conform with professional codes of behavior, must respect the confidentiality of information, must not identify informants unless the subject approved the release of information, preferably in writing or on tape in the case of an oral interview, prior to and after the collection of the information, and must satisfy any special restrictions placed on the information by the subject.