Observing and Recording Behaviour & Ethics Flashcards
What is within subject experimental design
One person’s response is compared to their own response in a different situation
Phases of behaviour modification program, what they are
- Screening: obtain client information, reasons for seeking assistance
-b-mod? Crisis condition? Diagnose, treatment eligibility/insurance - Baseline phase: define and measure initial baseline level of behaviour
- Treatment phase: apply training, intervention, treatment program
- Follow-up phase: determine effects on behaviour
During behaviour assessment, who is being assessed? Who is the observer?
Assessed = client (not patient), use person first language
Assessor = professional, layperson, self-monitored
Behaviour goal definition? Outcome goal?
Behaviour goal = level of the target behaviour that a program is designed to achieve
Outcome goal = broad result that one wishes to attain; “why”
Example of related target behaviour, behaviour goal and outcome goal
TB = drinking more water
BG = I want to drink 1 litre of water per day, five days a week
OG = to be healthy
Guidelines for behavioural assessment
Avoid labels (like depressed), describe objectively
Use active verbs (X dropped the keys)
No inference about internal states or motivations
Defined so multiple people can agree (IOA)
Six common dimensions of behavioural assessment
- Frequency
- Duration
- Latency
- Intensity
- Product recording
- Quality
what is an operational definition
Precise, objective definition of a term by specifying the operations the research or observer made to measure it “how”
e.g. fitness tracker/step counter
Describe direct and indirect assessment
Direct= antecedents, target beh and consequences observed and recorded as they occur
Indirect = second or third hand, remembered information
Examples of how direct and indirect assessment can be done
Direct = by onself, professional watches (in same room, two way mirror)
Indirect = questionnaires, role-playing, information from consulting professionals (social worker), interviews with clients
Which settings does behavioural assessment occur in
Natural setting
Analogue setting
Describe natural and analogue settings
Natural = beh observed in target person’s typical environment
Analogue = beh observed in a simulated location
Behaviour assessment can be structured or unstructured observations, meaning?
Unstructured = observations made without giving instructions or altering events/activities (typical daily life)
Structured = observations made while instructions are given, events are planned to occur
Problem with observation in a natural setting
May prevent accurate measurement (noisy, crowded)
What is reactivity?
When recording or measurement of a behaviour affects the occurrence of the behaviour
Three ways that behaviours can be observed/recorded during the observation period
- continuous recording: record every instance of client’s behaviour in the entire observation period
- interval recording: record target behaviour within successive time intervals of equal duration
- time sample recording: record behaviour during brief intervals separated from each other in time
When is continuous recording suitable? Interval?
Continuous = each response has similar duration and beh occurs at low rates
Interval = responses with variable durations or high rates
Two types of interval recording
- partial interval recording = record behaviour a max of once per interval, regardless of how many times it occurred
- whole-interval = record beh only if it persists during the entire interval
what is the interobserver agreement statistic
Calculated to determine consistency in recording of target beh
Six rights of clients **
- a therapeutic environment
- services whose overriding goal is personal welfare
- treatment by a competent behaviour analyst
- programs that teach functional skills
- behavioural assessment and ongoing evaluation
- the most effective treatment procedures available
What is program evaluation? Why do it
Used to determine efficiency of the program
- determine dimensions of evaluation (generalization/maintenance)
- amount and importance of the change
- cost-benefit ratio
What are the dimensions of program evaluation
Generalization
Maintenance
Considerations when determining amount/importance of a behavioural change
- clinical significance (individual benefits significantly?)
- social validity (beneficial impact on daily function)
- social comparison (compare to “normal”)
- expert evaluation
Potential problems when behaviour modification is applied
- side effects (result secondary to active treatment)
- trade-offs (forgoing one desire to gain another)
- revenge effect aka perverse incentive (unintended consequences of the treatment)
Examples of the revenge effect
Activity-based anorexia (exercise more = eat less)
“Health halo” effect (ordering from healthier fast food = more calories)
What is frequency-within-interval recording
record frequency within consecutive intervals of time in observation period
What is the latency dimension
Time between antecedent stimulus or event and the onset of behaviour
What is the intensity dimension
Magnitude
Assesses strength of behaviour, with rating scale
What is momentary time sample recording
Behaviour recorded only if it occurs at the exact instant the interval ends
