After hearing about some possible causes of sneezing, a scientist decides that room fresheners are the most common cause. What is the term that describes the scientist thinking

The term that describes the scientist's thinking in this case is "hypothesis." A hypothesis is a proposed explanation or prediction that can be tested or investigated further. It is typically based on some preliminary evidence, observations, or prior knowledge. In this situation, the scientist has considered various possible causes of sneezing and has formed a hypothesis that room fresheners are the most common cause based on their observations or data.