Content Area 6: Measurement Of Behavior Flashcards
Fundamental properties of Behavior
Temporal extent
Temporal locus
Repeatability
Repeatability x temporal locus
Dimensional quantities
Latency
Duration
Countability
IRT, Rate, Celeration
Repeatability
Instances of a response can occur repeatedly
Measure based on Repeatability
Countability
Rate/frequency
Countability
Tally of the number of an occurrences of a behavior
Rate/frequency
Number of responses per unit of time
Free operant
Behaviors that have a discrete beginning and end, can be emitted at any time and place, do not require much time for completion, require minimal displacement of the organism in time and space, and can be emitted over a wide range of response rates.
Celeration
Measure of how rates of response change over time
Measure based on temporal extent
Duration
Duration
Amount of time in which a behavior occurs
duration per session
(duration per occurrence)
Measure based on temporal locus
Latency
IRT
Latency
Measure of the elapsed time between the onset of a stimulus and the initiation of a subsequent response
IRT
Amount of time that elapses between two consecutive instances of a response class
Direct measures of behavior
Duration Latency Rate/frequency Celeration IRT
Indirect measures
Percent Trials to criterion Partial interval recording Whole interval recording Momentary time sampling Permanent product
Percent occurrence/percent correct
Number of target responses/opportunities
Trials to criterion
Measure of the number of response opportunities needed to achieve a predetermined level of performance
Advantages of percent correct
Easy to understand
Best used if limited number of opportunities
Good for measuring opportunities to respond with correct or incorrect responses
Disadvantages of percent correct
Difficult to show proficiency
Difficult to show small behavior changes
Easy to manipulate by increasing or decreasing opportunities
Not a dimension of behavior
Trials to criterion advantages
Comparison of efficiency of two or more treatment or instructional methods Useful for assessing increasing competence in acquiring a related class of concepts
Trials to criterion disadvantages
Doesn’t directly measure behavior
Not a direct dimension of behavior
Partial interval recording
Observer records whether the behavior occurs at any time during the interval
Expressed as a ratio
Partial Interval Recording Advantages
Easy to use
Records only presence or absence of behavior
Partial Interval Recording Disadvantages
Not concerned with duration or frequency
Underestimates the rate of high frequency behavior
Overestimates Duration
Whole Interval
Behavior must occur throughout entire interval for it to be scores as having occurred
Tends to underestimate behavior
Momentary Time Sampling
Behavior is recorded as having occurred at the moment the time period ends
Primarily used to measure continuous activity. Not recommended for measuring low-frequency, short duration behavior
Much of the behavior will be missed
PLACHECK (planned activity check)
Measures group behavior. Count # of individuals engaged in an activity/total number present
Permanent Product
Measuring the effects of a behavior after it has occurred.
