What term refers to a statement or set of statements that describes general principles about how variables relate to one another?

The term that refers to a statement or set of statements describing general principles about how variables relate to one another is known as a theory. A theory encompasses a broad explanation that is supported by a substantial body of evidence, and it helps to explain and predict various phenomena by outlining the relationships between different variables. Theories are built through extensive research and are continually tested and refined over time.

In contrast, a hypothesis is typically a specific prediction that can be tested through experimentation, serving as a preliminary statement within the framework of a theory. In scientific discourse, a law refers to a generalized statement derived from repeated observations and is often expressed mathematically, while a principle usually denotes a foundational concept or rule that guides understanding within a particular field but does not necessarily encompass complex relationships among multiple variables like a theory does.