Ch. 2 - Observing Behaviour Flashcards
What is direct assessment?
A person observes and records the target behaviour as it occurs.
What is indirect assessment?
Involves using interviews, questionnaires, and rating scales to obtain information on the target behaviour either from the person exhibiting the behaviour or from others.
What is the main downside of indirect assessment?
It relies on people’s memory.
Which assessment method is most often used?
Direct assessment.
What is the potential downside of direct assessment?
The observer must be in close proximity to the target, which can cause reactivity issues.
What are the four steps to developing a behaviour recording plan?
- Define the target behaviour.
- Determine the logistics
- Choose a recording method
- Choose a recording instrument
What does defining the target behaviour involve?
Identifying exactly what the person say so does that constitutes the behaviour excess or deficit.
What does a behavioural definition include?
Active verbs describing specific behaviours.
What are 2 characteristics of a behavioural definition?
Objective and unambiguous.
What do behavioural definitions not do?
Include internal states/emotions or make inferences about intentions.
Is being angry a behavioural definition?
No, but actions associated with anger may be.
What is the primary problem with labels?
They can be incorrectly used as explanations for behaviour.
What is an example of someone using a label as an explanation for behaviour?
Explaining someone’s repetition of syllables “because they have a stutter.” The stutter is not the reason for the repetition, it is the label we assign to it.
What is interobserver agreement?
Two independent observers agreeing on the number/duration of behaviour instances.
What are the two types of observers?
Independent observer and self-monitoring.
What do both independent observers and self-monitors have in common?
They both need to be trained to identify the target behaviour immediately.
What is the observation period?
The time when the observer records the target behaviour.
How may an appropriate observation period determined?
Through indirect assessment.
What are the two types of settings in which an observation period can take place?
Natural and analogue.
What is the difference between natural and analogue settings?
Natural settings are where the target behaviour normally occurs, analogue settings are in a place not part of the daily routine (e.g., clinic or play room).
Which type of setting is more likely to provide a representative sample for target behaviour occurrence?
A natural setting.
What are the two types of observation?
Structured and unstructured.
What is structured observation?
Where the observer arranges specific events or activities to occur during the observation period.
What is an unstructured behaviour?
Where observation involves not specific events or instructions.
