Chapter 3 - Methods for the Observation of Everyday Behaviors Flashcards
Observation of RESULTS . When the behavior leaves a unique result that proves the behavior took place. Observing the result of a behavior is the easiest method of observation; it is the simplest instance-type method.
You record a response when you see the RESULT of the behavior. The behavioral definition states the RESULT to look for.
Use this method with behaviors that leave a unique change in the environment.
A mark of outcome recording is that the observation takes place AFTER the response. The RESULT continues after the response and continues to exist after the response has ended.
Outcome Recording
Observation of INSTANCES of a behavior. Used when instances of the behavior are uniform in length.
You must observe the behavior DURING the occurrence of the response.
If each instance of the behavior takes about the same length of time as every other instance.
You record a response when you see an INSTANCE of the behavior. These behaviors can be COMPLEX.
Event Recording
ie. stuttering; solving math problems is uniform if the students take about the same time for each problem;
counting each time a student raises their hand; count number of times tutor praises a student effort; observe the number of children engaging in disruptive behavior on a playground; number of curve balls hit well by players trying out for a college team;
When the behavior is nonuniform and varies greatly in length.
Divide overall observation time into short INTERVALS. You observe during each interval and count the number of intervals during which you saw the behavior. This number gives you an idea of what PERCENTAGE of the time the behavior occurs.
You record the response if the behavior occurs in one of a series of continuous intervals. CONTINUOUS just means that each additional interval starts right after the end of the prior interval.
The observer divides the entire observation period into intervals that follow one another. The behavior doesn’t have to occur in each interval. The observer looks continuously.
You must use a STRUCTURED observational method by dividing the observation period into a series of short intervals.
The OVERALL record indicates the amount of time the behavior occurred.
Interval Recording
The behavior starts within the interval
The behavior ends within the interval
The behavior starts before the interval and continues past the end of the interval.
The behavior starts and ends during the interval.
The behavior starts and stops more than once during the interval. * In the last case you would not record the response occured more than once.
You are interested only in whether any part of a response occurs within the interval
*observing study behavior; off task behavior;
A Variation of interval recording used when you can’t continuously record one behavior. You record a response if one behavior occurs within one of a series of DISCONTINUOUS intervals.
Observing the behavior during a sample of the total time period rather than during all of it.
Observe the behavior only part of the time. Can be used when observing more than two behaviors.
When you wish to sample the behavior.
Time Sample Recording
