The Big Picture

The Bigger Picture (So Far)

Idea - Look at Relationship between Religious Beliefs and Cohabitation

Theoretical Perspective - use theories / logic to guide hypothesis

Concepts:  Religious Beliefs and Cohabitation

          Population:  General - no need to specify

Hypothesis:  Now we want to come up with something to Test

          1.  We first ask: How do we expect these concepts to relate?

          2.  We take the concepts that vary and begin to call them variables.

          3.  We need to use Variables in our Hypothesis

What are the Variables:

IV - Religious Beliefs:  

Attributes- Very Liberal to Very Conservative - 5 pt scale

          DV - Cohabitation

                    Attributes - Cohabitate, Do not cohabitate

For the Hypothesis:

1.  It is the Attributes of the IV that we are comparing

2.  IV should come first

3.  State the Direction of the Relationship

4.  State it clearly - unambiguously

5.  Don't usually add the Population if it's “General Adult”, but should if you

     are using a subgroup (ex. Youth, Elderly, Married Couples, etc.)

Examples:

     Poor:  Religious Beliefs are related to Cohabitation

     Acceptable:

          As Religious Beliefs move from Conservative to Liberal, the more

          likely one is to Cohabitate.

          Those with Liberal Religious Beliefs are more likely to Cohabitate than

          are those with Conservative Religious Beliefs.

Religious Beliefs are directly related to support for Cohabitation, with

those with liberal RB being more supportive. *changed DV

Reminder:  The Population or Subgroup is NOT a Variable, it is a Constant.  If the above had been written as:

Among those living on the East Coast, as Religious Beliefs move from Conservative to Liberal, the more likely one is to Cohabitate.

What would the variables and constants be here?

Younger individuals are more likely to cohabitate than are older individuals.

      (Age-IV)

Among those 18-25, as Religious Beliefs move from Conservative to Liberal,

the more likely one is to Cohabitate.  (Age-Constant, Population)