Question

Hypothesis fixation is defined as: Select one:

a. The tendency to over plan, over build and over test, i.e. put a disproportionate amount of time into planning, building and testing.
b. The tendency to overestimate what can be achieved using a particular tool due to a vested interest in the outcome
c. The tendency to test a system with data that is sympathetic to the design of the system which results in data that confirms the integrity of it
d. The tendency to focus on the definition hypotheses at cost of the development of the model
e. The tendency to maintain an initial hypothesis even if model generated evidence proves it incorr

Answer 1

Hypothesis fixation occurs when an individual clings to an initial hypothesis despite contradictory evidence, often influenced by confirmation bias, anchoring bias, and the availability heuristic. It is contrary to the scientific principle of falsifiability, where a hypothesis should be able to be disproven rather than simply confirmed.

Step-by-step explanation:

Hypothesis fixation is best described as the tendency to maintain an initial hypothesis despite evidence that contradicts it. This phenomenon is closely related to confirmation bias, where individuals focus on information that confirms their existing beliefs, and neglect or undervalue information that contradicts them. It is a cognitive bias that can affect the scientific hypothesis testing process, where instead of seeking to falsify the null hypothesis, researchers might give undue weight to data that supports their initial hypothesis, while disregarding data that does not.

Falsifiability is an important concept in the scientific method, which is built on the premise that a hypothesis needs to be tested with the possibility of being proven false. The process of hypothesis testing should not focus on confirming the initial hypothesis, but rather on the potential to disprove it through objective and controlled experiments. This helps to avoid subjectivity and ensure that the observations are not simply due to chance. In contrast, multiple working hypotheses can reduce bias by accommodating the simultaneous comparison of different models that may explain the observations in complex systems, such as in ecology or conservation biology.

Additionally, the anchoring bias and availability heuristic can further influence hypothesis testing. Anchoring bias can cause individuals to rely too heavily on an initial piece of information (the anchor), while the availability heuristic can lead to overestimating the significance of information that comes to mind easily, often because it is recent or vivid.