Chaney

Question 1

Background

Answer 1

BF skinner was a behaviourist who studies rats and wanted to use operant conditioning on them.
Asthma is a chronic condition. Although there are treatments some people don’t use inhalers correctly; particularly young children.

Question 2

Research method

Answer 2

Field experiment because it was carried out at home and at school.

Question 3

Experimental design

Answer 3

Repeated measures

Question 4

Sample

Answer 4

• 32 children (10 girls 22 boys) 1.5-6 from Australia.
• On average had asthma for 2.2 years.
• Using the aerochamber or breath-o-tech inhaler.

Question 5

Sampling method

Answer 5

• They were recruited on a random basis from 7 paediatricians or GP clinics.
• The clinics were within 51km of Perth in Australia.
• Clinics spanned widely differing socio-economic and geographical areas.

Question 6

Procedure

IVs and DVs

Answer 6

IV- whether the child was using the funhaler or the normal device.

DVs- the questionnaire measured:
- the children’s behaviour- how frequently the children took medication and problems the children had with the delivery of the medication.

Question 7

Positive reinforcement of the funhaler

Answer 7

Whistle and spinner

Question 8

Negative reinforcement of the funhaler

Answer 8

Takes away asthma symptoms.

Question 9

Percentage of parents who always successfully medicated their child.

Answer 9

Existing inhaler: 10%

Funhaler: 73%

Question 10

Children who have attitude of pleasure towards medication.

Answer 10

Existing inhaler: 10%

Funhaler: 68%

Question 11

Conclusions

Answer 11

Funhaler led to an increase in usage and correct usage (4 breaths per cycle).
Parents less likely to give up and result to a nebuliser.

Question 12

What does counterbalancing do and why didn’t Chaney use it?

Answer 12

Counterbalancing helps eliminate order effects.
Achieved by: Having half the group use the standard inhaler first then the funhaler and the other half using the funhaler first followed by the standard inhalers.

He didn’t use counterbalancing because using the funhaler first could have increased adherence in second week due to funhaler. Children might not want to go back to using the standard inhaler after using the funhaler, creating a greater difference in adherence.

Question 13

Ethics

Answer 13

Upheld: using repeated measures meant no participants missed out on benefit.
Competent researchers were used- pfh.
Participants were debriefed. No harm caused.

Question 14

Reliability

Answer 14

Internal
-Same questionnaire and length of time using the funhaler.
-Funhaler was the same for all children.
External
-only 32 children so may not be a consistent effect.

Question 15

Validity

Answer 15

Internal- may not be an accurate test of compliance with medical device.

• social desirability bias is possible because repeated measures used.
• Improved use could be due to the novelty of the funhaler.

External: population and ecological.

• high ecological validity as children used the funhaler in their natural environment (at home).
• Difficult to apply to all cultures and other age ranges.

Question 16

Ethnocentrism

Answer 16

All children from Australia. Maybe not all children from all cultures will find the funhaler appealing.

Question 17

Debates

Answer 17

Usefulness: education, parenting, health sector.
Indiv/sit: individual differences in child/ parental attitudes towards funhaler but situational of the inhaler influencing behaviour.
Nat/nur- children nurtured into using funhaler- change in behaviour due to operant conditioning.
Reductionism/ holism- reductionist. Only using operant conditioning as excuse for behaviour and ignoring parenting style.
Freewill/ determinism- usage is determined by inhaler type (normal or funhaler)