Chapter 2 - Definitions

Question 1

Behavior is anything that a person __________.

Answer 1

does

Question 2

Tom wrote down anytime that Carol made a friendly comment to him as soon as she made it. What approach to observing Carol’s friendliness did Tom use? __________ observation

Answer 2

direct

Question 3

Barb defined “studying” the social code as being able to answer the ten questions listed at the end of it. She asked Ann if she could answer those questions. Ann said “yes.” Using her answer of “yes” to observe studying the social codes is the approach called __________ observation.

Answer 3

self-report

Question 4

To develop a sound behavioral definition, the behavior analyst must clearly describe what behavior he or she will __________.

Answer 4

observe

Question 5

The problem with using private events to explain other behavior is that they must still be __________.

Answer 5

explained

Question 6

Using a behavioral definition makes communication [a] and maintains consistency of [b]

Answer 6

clearer; observations

Question 7

When an observer writes down an observation as soon as they see it, we call it [a] observation. When they write it down from memory, we call it [b] observation.

Answer 7

direct; self report

Question 8

Describing joy as “laughing, singing, and dancing” would be called a(n) __________

Answer 8

behavioral definition

Question 9

Maria developed a list to help decide whether Juan was doing his share of household chores. The list included washing dishes, taking out garbage, and shopping for food. Behavior analysts call Maria’s list a(n) __________.

Answer 9

behavioral definition

Question 10

Barb could multiply any two numbers between 1 and 20 in her head. Behavior analysts view Barb’s activity as a form of __________.

Answer 10

behavior/private behavior

Question 11

Explain how behavior analysts view thinking. How might thinking be similar to silent reading? *short answer question

Answer 11

Behavior analysts view it as private behavior

Question 12

The observers in the Goetz and Baer study did not watch children building novel block structures. Because they recorded any resulting block structure as soon as they saw it, this was an example of the approach to observation called __________ observation.

Answer 12

direct

Question 13

John defined understanding as a word meaning that the person correctly defined the word on the English test. John asked Mary if she correctly defined the term reify on last Friday’s test. Mary said “yes.” John used what approach to observing her behavior? __________ observations

Answer 13

self report

Question 14

Behavior analysts create a successful behavioral definition by describing exactly what behavior they will __________.

Answer 14

observe

Question 15

The problem with self-reports is that when you ask people to report on their own behavior from memory the results are usually __________.

Answer 15

inaccurate

Question 16

Dr. Parlato studied factors that interfered with John’s digestion. Because digestion is something that John does, Dr. Parlato is studying a form of __________.

Answer 16

behavior

Question 17

The principle of direct observation requires a trained observer who used ___________ of behavior.

Answer 17

direct observation

Question 18

Dr. Quail tried to explain poor learning by students in terms of a poor attitude. Because the poor attitude must itself be explained, Dr. Quail’s explanation shows the problem with __________ events.

Answer 18

private

Question 19

Professor Rose measured Shelley’s studying as “the number of problems she completed and handed in on her calculus homework.” The phrase in quotes is a(n) __________.

Answer 19

behavioral definition

Question 20

Give two benefits for creating specific behavioral definitions *short answer question

Answer 20

1)clear communication
2)consistency of observation

Question 21

Ahles and colleagues (1990) defined pain behavior as patients “guarding, bracing, rubbing, expressing and grimacing.” Behavior analysts call the statement in quotes a(n) __________.

Answer 21

behavioral definition

Question 22

Dan wrote down each time that Fred did not answer their phone. Dan used the approach of __________ observation.

Answer 22

direct

Question 23

Joan decided that she meant by sensitivity the following: “Chad encouraged her to talk about her feelings.” Joan was treating sensitivity as a form of __________.

Answer 23

behavior

Question 24

A statement that pinpoints what behavior to observe is called a(an) __________.

Answer 24

behavioral definition

Question 25

An observer who immediately records any observation that he personally sees (or hears) is using the principle of __________.

Answer 25

direct observation

Question 26

John asked Mrs. Miller how much trash her family had generated last week. John’s approach is called __________ observation.

Answer 26

self-report

Question 27

Dr. Casey found that sixth graders studied more if they signed a contract with their teacher. The contract said that they could go to an early recess as soon as they learned their spelling words for the day. Because the contract is part of the students’ environment, Dr. Casey was using the principle of __________ events.

Answer 27

public

Question 28

Tom studied whether Marge initiated conversations with men. He meant by the term initiated conversations whether she “approached a man and was the first to speak.” The phrase in quotes is called a(n) __________.

Answer 28

behavioral definition

Question 29

As long as an action is something that a person does and it is physical and produces a result, behavior analysts call the action __________.

Answer 29

behavior

Question 30

Give one reason why behavior analysts usually rely on direct observation, rather than observations that involve memory, such as those evoked by questionnaires or interviews: *short answer question

Answer 30

Self-reports are usually inaccurate or of unknown accuracy