Observing and Recording Behaviour Flashcards
Operation definition:
Definition of behaviour written in specific, observable terms
In order to change behaviour we must specify…
Which environmental/other factories are responsible for its emission
A good operational definition is… (3 answers)
Definition is clear, complete and objective
What makes a good operational definition? (3 answers)
Clearly describe what behaviour looks like
Use action verbs
Refrain from using labels
Once we know what we’re looking for,
We need strategies for collecting data
The time used to a serve behaviour is called
The observation period
The time sample needs to be ____ of behaviour
Representative
If a behaviour occurs frequently, the observation period can be ____
Shorter
What are repeated measures?
Multiple observations of the behaviour ensuring a more representative sample of target behaviour
Observations of behaviour can take place in natural or contrived settings. Define each
Natural - the environment in which a person would usually emit the behaviour
Contrived - a setting designed specifically for observation e.g. a clinicians room
What is reactivity?
A change in behaviour as a result of being observed
Reactivity can be reduced by making observations as ____ as possible
Unobtrusive
Reactivity can be reduced by being ____ in the ____ over time so people are used to you
Present; environment
Videotaping is a good way of reducing ____, provided the cameras themselves are not obvious
Reactivity
A change in behaviour as a result of being observed is known as
Reactivity
Why is measuring behaviour important (3 answers)
1) Gain info whether treatment is necessary
2) Can choose best treatment
3) Can determine whether treatment had an effect on behaviour
What is indirect assessment?
Uses interviews, questionnaires and rating scales on target behaviour from the individual or others in his environment e.g. Family, staff
What is direct assessment?
A person observes and records target behaviour as it occurs
Give a disadvantage of using indirect assessment
Dependent upon memory, which can be unreliable
Give an ad tangle to using direct assessment
More accurate as observers are trained to observe the behaviour
Observations can be structured or unstructured. What is the difference?
Structured - certain events/activities are set to occur
Unstructured - no specific instructions given during this period
What is observer drift?
When an observer develops their own private definition of behaviour
Bandwidth refers to (think data points on graph)
The minimum and maximum frequency of behaviour during baseline phase
