Chapters 1-4 Flashcards
Define Behavior
What people do and say
List the 4 dimensions of behavior
Frequency
Intensity
Latency
Duration
Overt Behavior
Can be observed and recorded by a person other than the one engaging in the behavior
Covert Behavior
Aka “private events”
Behaviors that are not observable to others
Behavior modification
The field of psychology concerned with analyzing and modifying human behavior
Target behavior
The behavior to be modified
Behavior excess
Give example
An undesirable target behavior that the person wants to decrease
Ex: tantrums
Behavioral deficit
Give example
A desirable target behavior that the person wants to increase
Ex: studying
Why is ongoing assessment necessary?
To determine whether the behavior change is maintained in the long run
Pavlov
Uncovered the basic process of respondent conditioning
Discovered the “conditioned reflex”
Thorndike
Law of Effect–behavior that produced a favorable event in the environment is more likely to be repeated in the future
Watson
Started behaviorism
Described a stimulus-response psychology
Skinner
Foundation of behavior modification
Applied the principles of behavior analysis to human behavior
Behavioral assessment
Measurement of the target behavior
Indirect assessment
Does not occur when target behavior occurs–relies on another individuals recall
Ex: interviews, questionnaires, rating assessments
Direct assessment
A person observers and records target behavior as it occurs
Steps for developing behavior recording plain (4)
- Define target behavior
- Determine logistics of recording
- Choose recording method
- Choose recording instrument
Behavioral definition
Includes active verbs describing specific behaviors that a person exhibits. It is objective and unambiguous.
Inter observer agreement
When 2 people record the behavior independently and both record that it occured
Self-monitoring
State requirement
Give EX
When the observer of the behavior is the same person that is exhibiting it
Person must be trained to monitor their behavior in the same way a trained observer would
Ex: keeping track of cigarettes you smoke
Natural setting
Give ex
The places in which the target behavior typically occurs
EX: classroom
Analogue setting
Give EX
A place the behavior doesn’t normally occur
Ex: clinical office
Structured Observation
The observer arrangers for specific events or activities to occur during the observation period
Unstructured observation
No specific events are arranged and no instructions are given during the observation period
Continuous recording
Every instance of the behavior occurring during the observation period is recorded by the observer
May include frequency latency duration or intensity
Product recording
The tangible outcome or permanent product of the occurrence of the behavior is recorded
Interval recording
The occurrence or non- occurrence of the behavior is recorded in consecutive intervals of time during the observation period
Time sample recording
The occurrence or non-occurance of the behavior is recorded in discontinuous intervals of time during an observation period
Reactivity
When the process of recording behavior causes the behavior to change even before treatment is implemented
How to reduce reactivity? (2 ways)
- Wait until the person being observed becomes accustomed to the observers presence
- Observe the person without them knowing they’re being observed (must get consent)
List and describe 3 recording methods that ARE NOT data sheets
- Bar Code – assign each behavior to particular barcode and scan barcode when behavior occurs
- Stop watch – to record cumulative duration of behavior
- PDA – applications for ABA
- Paper Tears – make small tears in piece of paper each time it occurs
Graph
Visual representation of the occurrence of a behavior over time
Competing response
Give ex
A response that is incompatible with the target behavior, therefor, performing the response makes the target behavior impossible to exhibit
Ex: wearing gloves and nail biting
Horizontal axis
List 2 other names and what usually goes on it
X-axis, abscissa
Indicates time
Vertical axis
Y-axis, ordinate
Indicates level of behavior
List the 6 components of a graph
- X and Y axis
- X and Y axis labels
- # s on X and Y axis
- Data points
- Phase lines
- Phase labels
Phase lines
Vertical line on the graph that indicates a change in treatment
–data points are NOT connected in between phase lines
Baseline
No treatment phase
Independent variable
What the researcher manipulates to produce a change in the target behavior
Dependent variable
The target behavior
Confounding variable
Give EX
An extraneous variable; an event that the researcher did not plan that may have affected the behavior
Ex: a family fight that morning
Functional relationship
When a behavior modification procedure causes a target behavior to change
When has a functional relationship been established?
- When the target behavior changes when an independent variable is manipulated, while all other variables are held constant
- The process is replicated or repeated one or more times and the behavior changes each time
A-B research design
One baseline and one treatment phase
A=baseline :: B=treatment
Not a true research design because it does not demonstrate a functional relationship
Why is the A-B research design not a true research study?
It does not demonstrate a functional relationship because treatment is not replicated; it does not rule out the possibility that an extraneous variable was not responsible for the behavior change
A-B-A-B research design
Baseline and treatment phases are implemented twice
After the first treatment phase is complete, the researcher removes the treatment and reverses back to base line, then implements the behavior again
This accounts for extraneous variables and therefor demonstrates a functional relationship
When is it impossible/unethical to use an A-B-A-B research design
Give EX
Unethical-When the behavior is dangerous
Ex: self-injury
Impossible-when the behavior involves learning (b/c you can’t unlearn)
Ex: reading
A-B-C-A-C
A=baseline
B=treatment 1
C=treatment 2
Used when first treatment is ineffective and you try a 2nd that is effective, then remove treatment to return to baseline then implement the 2nd (effective) treatment again
Multiple base line across subjects design
There is a baseline and a treatment phase for the same target behavior of 2 or more different subjects
*baseline for each subject is of a different lengh
Multiple base line across behaviors design
There is a baseline and a treatment phase for the same subject with 2 or more different target behaviors
*the baselines for each behavior are of different lengths
Multiple baseline across settings design
There is a baseline and a treatment phase for the same target behavior of the same individual in 2 or more different settings
**baselines for different settings are of different lengths
Alternating treatments research design (ATD)
Aka multielement design
Baseline and treatment conditions (or 2 treatment conditions) are conducted in rapid succession and compared with each other
Treatment/baseline occurs in alternating days/sessions.
Changing criterion design
Within the treatment phase, sequential performance criteria are specified
Successive goal levels of the target behavior specify how much of the target behavior should change during treatment
Effectiveness is determined by whether the subjects behavior changes to meet the changing performance criteria
