Chapter 2 Textbook Questions

Question 1

Generally speaking, a variable is a

description of behavior
thing that is not the same each time (it can change)
thing that cannot be measured
description of the mind-body interactive locus

Answer 1

thing that is not the same each time (it can change)

Question 2

In behavior analysis, the dependent variable is

a self-assessment of privileged activities
dependent on the mood, energy level, or emotional state of the observer
mathematically derived from vector algorithms
the objectively measured target behavior

Answer 2

the objectively measured target behavior

Question 3

In a behavioral experiment, which variable is turned ON and OFF to determine if it is a functional variable?

the dependent variable
the independent variable
the correlational variable
the inferential variable

Answer 3

the independent variable

Question 4

to minimize bias when measuring behavior; behavior analysts prefer…

self-reports
confirmatory analyses
direct observation
to pay participants to complete questionnaries

Answer 4

direct observation

Question 5

There are two problems with self-reported measures of behavior. Which of the following is NOT one of those problems/

sometimes people will stretch the truth in their self-reports, often to make themselves look better than they are
self-reports rely on flawed human memories - we often cannot recall whether or how often we engaged in a behavior
participants often respond randomly when completing self-report surveys and questionnaires

Answer 5

participants often respond randomly when completing self-report surveys and questionnaires

Question 6

A good behavioral definition precisely specifies the ______ of the target behavior, allowing observers to reliably identify instances and non-instances of the behavior.

outlines
topography
borders
motive

Answer 6

topography

Question 7

IOA stands for …

interobserver assistance
interobserver assessment
instant outpatient assessment
interobserver agreement

Answer 7

interobserver agreement

Question 8

Stephanie was behaving rudely to the employee at the bank. The employee took out their phone and started recording Stephanie’s rude behavior. Stephanie immediately stopped behaving badly. This is an example of…

reactivity
connectivity
attentionality
sensitivity

Answer 8

reactivity

Question 9

When deciding on the best direct-observation method, we must consider some characteristics of the behavior we plan to observe. If the behavior is of uniform duration each time it occurs, and it produces no distinct, lasting, and observable product, which direct-observation technique would we choose?

outcome recording
event recording
interval recording
duration recording

Answer 9

event recording

Question 10

If we are interested in the frequency at which a target behavior occurs, and that behavior produces a lasting, distinct, and observable product, which direct-observation technique should we use?

outcome recording
event recording
interval recording
duration recording

Answer 10

outcome recording

Question 11

If we are interested in the frequency at which a target behavior occurs, and that behavior is NOT of uniform duration and it produces no permanent product, which direct-observation technique would we choose?

outcome recording
event recording
interval recording
duration recording

Answer 11

interval recording

Question 12

If we are interested in how long it takes for a behavior to be initiated, or how long the behavior lasts, which direct-observation technique should we choose?

outcome recording
event recording
interval recording
duration recording

Answer 12

duration recording

Question 13

When using the direct-observation technique known as _____ recording, we will record if the behavior does or does not occur during any portion of the contiguous observation periods.

event
duration
whole-interval
partial-interval

Answer 13

partial-interval; the “during any portion” is key

Question 14

When using the direct-observation technique known as _____ recording, we will record if the behavior does or does not occur throughout each of the contiguous observation periods.

event
duration
whole-interval
partial-interval

Answer 14

whole-interval: the “throughout each” is key

Question 15

If 20 instances of the target behavior occur during a 20-minute interval, then the _______ is (20/20) = 1 response per minute.

latency
duration
frequency
magnitude

Answer 15

frequency

Question 16

Lily is assigned homework at 8am and begins her homework at 3pm. This 7-hour interval between the opportunity to respond and the initiation of the response is known as ______.

latency
frequency
duration
response time

Answer 16

latency

Question 17

_______ is defined as the response count divided by time or opportunity to respond

Answer 17

frequency

Question 18

_______ is defined as the interval of time between the opportunity to respond and the response itself

Answer 18

latency

Question 19

______ is defined as the interval of time between the start and the end of the behavior

Answer 19

duration

Question 20

when interested in measuring the force or intensity of a behavior, we are interested in the dimension of ______

Answer 20

magnitude