Which type of hypothesis states that differences exist between groups but does not specify which group is higher or lower?

The alternative nondirectional hypothesis is designed to indicate that there is a difference between groups but does not specify the direction of that difference. This means that while it asserts that one group will not equal another, it leaves open the possibility that one could be greater or lesser than the other without making a claim about which one it is.

In research, this type of hypothesis is particularly useful when the researcher is interested in differences but has no prior expectation or assumption about the direction of those differences. For instance, if researchers are comparing two teaching methods, a nondirectional hypothesis simply states that there will be a difference in outcomes between the two methods, without suggesting which method will be more effective.

This approach contrasts with directional hypotheses, which explicitly state the expected direction of the difference, and with the null hypothesis, which posits that there are no differences between the groups at all. Consequently, when testing hypotheses, utilizing a nondirectional hypothesis allows for a broader scope of findings, acknowledging the possibility of any significant effect without bias towards a specific outcome.