About this product

Product Identifiers

PublisherTaylor & Francis Group

ISBN-101841691593

ISBN-139781841691596

eBay Product ID (ePID)1785510

Product Key Features

Number of Pages182 Pages

Publication NameHypothesis-Testing Behaviour

LanguageEnglish

Publication Year2000

SubjectGeneral, Cognitive Psychology & Cognition, Experimental Psychology, Research & Methodology

TypeTextbook

Subject AreaScience, Psychology

AuthorFenna H. Poletiek

SeriesEssays in Cognitive Psychology Ser.

FormatHardcover

Dimensions

Item Height0.8 in

Item Weight17.8 Oz

Item Length9.4 in

Item Width6.3 in

Additional Product Features

Intended AudienceCollege Audience

LCCN00-059070

Reviews'Poletiek provides an extremely useful and up-to-date discussion of psychological theories of hypothesis testing. Not only does she cover a wide variety of approaches, but provides a very interesting commentary on the way that these approaches relate to the philosophies and formal theories discussed.'- Journal of Behavioural Decision Making 'Poletiek's book is informative, impressive in scope, and original in its integration of traditional dichotomies. It makes a considerable contribution to both the philosophy and psychology of hypothesis testing. It offers, additionally, further opportunity to rethink traditional understandings of what it is for humans (and other beings?) to be rational in their everyday pursuits and how this might be most accurately modelled.'- Studies in the Philosophy of Science, 'This is a valuable and timely book. Fenna Poletiek collects together a number of hitherto quite disparate aspects of the broad area of hypothesis testing, both theoretical and empirical, and makes connections between them that few have ventured in such careful detail before ... I learned an enormous amount from reading it.' - Ken Manktelow, University of Wolverhampton 'I am delighted that so much of my early work has unexpectedly come to fruition.' - Peter Wason, Emeritus Professor, University College London, 'Poletiek provides an extremely useful and up-to-date discussion of psychological theories of hypothesis testing. Not only does she cover a wide variety of approaches, but provides a very interesting commentary on the way that these approaches relate to the philosophies and formal theories discussed.' - Journal of Behavioural Decision Making 'Poletiek's book is informative, impressive in scope, and original in its integration of traditional dichotomies. It makes a considerable contribution to both the philosophy and psychology of hypothesis testing. It offers, additionally, further opportunity to rethink traditional understandings of what it is for humans (and other beings?) to be rational in their everyday pursuits and how this might be most accurately modelled.' - Studies in the Philosophy of Science

Dewey Edition23

IllustratedYes

Dewey Decimal153.43

Table Of ContentIntroduction. Theories of Testing in the Philosophy of Science. Mathematical Theories of Testing. Wason's Rule Discovery Task. Wason's Selection Task. Hypothesis Testing Under Certainty. Conclusions.

SynopsisHow do people search evidence for a hypothesis? A well documented answer in cognitive psychology is that they search for confirming evidence. However, the rational strategy is to try to falsify the hypothesis. This book critically evaluates this contradiction. Experimental research is discussed against the background of philosophical and formal theories of hypothesis testing with striking results: Falsificationism and verificationism - the two main rival philosophies of testing - come down to one and the same principle for concrete testing behaviour, eluding the contrast between rational falsification and confirmation bias.In this book, the author proposes a new perspective for describing hypothesis testing behaviour - the probability-value model - which unifies the contrasting views. According to this model, hypothesis testers pragmatically consider what evidence and how much evidence will convince them to reject or accept the hypothesis. They might either require highly probative evidence for its acceptance, at the risk of its rejection, or protect it against rejection and go for minor confirming observations. Interestingly, the model refines the classical opposition between rationality and pragmaticity because pragmatic considerations are a legitimate aspect of 'rational' hypothesis testing. Possible future research and applications of the ideas advanced are discussed, such as the modelling of expert hypothesis testing., How do people search evidence for a hypothesis? A well documented answer in cognitive psychology is that they search for confirming evidence. However, the rational strategy is to try to falsify the hypothesis. This contradiction is evaluated., How do people search evidence for a hypothesis? A well documented answer in cognitive psychology is that they search for confirming evidence. However, the rational strategy is to try to falsify the hypothesis. This book critically evaluates this contradiction. Experimental research is discussed against the background of philosophical and formal theories of hypothesis testing with striking results: Falsificationism and verificationism - the two main rival philosophies of testing - come down to one and the same principle for concrete testing behaviour, eluding the contrast between rational falsification and confirmation bias. In this book, the author proposes a new perspective for describing hypothesis testing behaviour - the probability-value model - which unifies the contrasting views. According to this model, hypothesis testers pragmatically consider what evidence and how much evidence will convince them to reject or accept the hypothesis. They might either require highly probative evidence for its acceptance, at the risk of its rejection, or protect it against rejection and go for minor confirming observations. Interestingly, the model refines the classical opposition between rationality and pragmaticity because pragmatic considerations are a legitimate aspect of 'rational' hypothesis testing. Possible future research and applications of the ideas advanced are discussed, such as the modelling of expert hypothesis testing.

LC Classification NumberBF76.5.P59 2001