Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
A hypothesis is an educated guess or proposition that attempts to explain a set of facts or phenomena in sociology. It is a testable statement that can be supported or refuted through empirical research and observation.
Related terms
Empirical Research: The collection and analysis of data from the real world to evaluate the validity of a hypothesis.
Sociological Theory: A framework or system of ideas that helps to explain social phenomena, often forming the basis for generating hypotheses.
Variable: An element, feature, or factor that is liable to vary or change, which researchers manipulate or measure in their studies to assess the effects on another variable