Quiz 7 Chapter 8 Pt 2 Flashcards
List 5 reasons for performing an experiment.
- Testing a theory
- Examining potential functional relations
- Developing new control techniques
- Systematic replication
- Trying out a new method or technique
Why is it important to separate data from your purpose in collecting it?
If you hold onto your hypothesis too closely you may develop tunnel vision and miss accidental discoveries. You need to remember that the most important purpose of a study is to understand how the environment influences behavior. In this regard all well controlled studies yield positive results.
What is a major advantage of studies performed to indulge the investigator’s curiosity about nature?
They will reveal observations and knowledge not formally known. These observations hen lead to other questions and answers. They never produce negative results and the scientist’s life is said to be “…full of surprises”.
How do theories typically emerge from studies designed to indulge the investigator’s curiosity?
Inductively. Functional relationships between variables are first determined sets of relations are linked together in theories.
What are some advantages of bringing an area of concern like depression into the laboratory?
You can better control variables and produce experimental control
- What are some problems with treating all subjects alike?
It is also the case that one level of the treatment cuts the curve of different subjects at different points. If you know this you need to treat them differently to get a similar effect. You also have to wait for behavior to stabilize before introducing a treatment. Different subjects will take a different amount of time before behavior stabilizes.
What is the main purpose of systematic replication?
To determine the level of generality of a particular finding.
What is a probe measure and what is it useful for?
The probe technique is a method used to get a snapshot of some aspect of a behavior change. A probe involves making a brief change in a variable to determine the effect.
Why is it impossible to control variables through the use of statistics?
Statistical techniques only hide the effects of an uncontrolled variables. They only randomly distribute them. You can only control variability by controlling sources of variability.
Why is it futile to attempt to increase control by testing additional subjects? What effect will testing large numbers of subjects have on experimental control?
Using additional subjects allow you to detect a smaller effect but the additional subjects have no influence on the level of experimental control and will not identify the important variables that are causing the variability in the behavior of interest.
Why are parametric data useful in behavior analysis?
Parametric data show us the shape of the function. The function for several individuals may have the same shape, but they may peak at different points. Once you have the function you can see that what appeared to be differences in effects of the same variable on different subjects was really the result of the IV hitting those different subjects at different points on the curve.
What are two direct behavioral methods to increase variability?
Introduce an extinction phase or directly reinforce variability of the response
