SCD Measurement Flashcards
Observational codes
A. Behaviors and Stimuli need to be defined into discrete categories.
B. Make sure the operational definitions are nonoverlapping.
C. Codes can be exhaustive or open ended.
Observational Codes Categories
Two categories of events need to be identified:
- Behaviors of interest need to be selected.
- Stimuli need to be coded and defined before measurement can occur.
- Anything that is not a behavior but occurs can be considered a stimulus.
- Examples: presentation of materials, presence of certain objects, etc.
Direct measurement
Observation of the BEHAVIOR and recording it AS it OCCURS.
DIRECT CONTACT with behavior
Indirect Measurement
Measures sample via products of events and/or stimuli.
*NO CONTACT with behavior.
Continuous Measurement Procedures
Measurement conducted in a manner such that ALL INSTANCES OF THE RESPONSE CLASS of INTEREST are detected during the observation period. - event, duration, latency, IRT, etc.
*MEASURING EVERY INSTANCE of the behavior within an observation period.
Three Measurable Dimensions of Behavior
- Repeatability. 2. Temporal Extent. 3. Temporal Locus
Repeatability & Examples
a) Behavior CAN BE COUNTED.
b) Instances of behavior OCCUR THROUGH TIME.
Count, Frequency/Rate and Celeration
Temporal Extent & Examples
Behavior OCCURS for a PERIOD OF TIME . The length of behavior can be measured.
Durations, Interresponse Time
Temporal Locus & Examples
Behavior occurs at CERTAIN POINT IN TIME with respect to other events. WHEN BEHAVIORS OCCUR can be measured.
Frequency
a) SIMPLE COUNT of the INSTANCES of behavior, represented by a tally.
b) Frequency is always given in whole numbers and tells you exactly how many occurrences were observed.
Use frequency when…
- NUMBER of occurrences is the INTERFERING DIMENSION of the behavior.
- Behavior has CLEAR BEGINNING and END (is “DISCRETE”).
- Count TIMES are SIMILAR (e.g. always counting across 50 minute class periods - SAME INTERVAL TIME.)
Rate
a) the number of RESPONSES per UNIT of TIME.
b) BEHAVIOR over TIME.
c) reported per second, minute, day, week, month, or year.
Report the unit of time in your measurement - “Tom left his seat 4 times in 10 minutes.”
Use rate when…
- Free operants - Behaviors that are FREE to OCCUR at ANYTIME and have a CLEAR BEGINNING and END.
- NUMBER of OCCURRENCES is the INTERFERING dimension of the behavior.
Do not use for continuous behaviors that occur for extended periods of time. A 40 minute tantrum per day would be recorded as 1 incident in 6 hours - it does not show enough information.
Celeration
a) Count per unit of time over time.
b) Frequency(rate)/time.
**Rate of responding changing over time.
Duration
Measures the time that passes from ONSET to CESSATION.
May be reported as “total duration” or “average duration”
Use duration when…
- LENGTH of time that BEHAVIOR occurs is the INTERFERING dimension of the behavior.
i. e., The amount of time the student spends in the bathroom or laying on the floor.
May be use in combination with frequency (3 occurrences for an average of 3 minutes)
Interresponse Time
a) The time between one response ending and the next response beginning. i.e., The time between math problems.
b) Duration from CESSATION of ONE OCCURRENCE, to the START of the NEXT.
Use interresponse time when…
Length of TIME BETWEEN OCCURRENCES is the interfering behavior.
Example: in quitting cigarette smoking
IRT & High rates of Responding =
IRT & Low rates of Responding =
Short IRT: high rates of responding
Long IRT: low rates of responding
Latency
Duration from the onset of a stimulus to the targeted response.
(e.g. duration from a peer saying “how are you?” to the response “good, how are you?”)
Percentage
Proportion quantity of occurrence per opportunity
Trials to Criterion
a) measure of responses opportunities needed to achieve a level of performance.
b) number of opportunities till predetermined responding is achieved.
(e. g. It took Jimmy 5 quizzes till he reached 100%)
A trial depends on the nature of the target behavior and the desired performance level.
Time Sampling - Interval Recording
Observing/recording behavior at specific periods of time
a) Provides an estimate of behavior.
b) Useful with continuous and high-rate Bx
Advantages of Time Sampling
- Works well for high-rate behaviors. 2. Provides an estimate of behavior across time (an approximation). 3. Can be used to monitor several students
Whole-Interval
Behavior occurs for the entire duration of a pre-set interval. a) Under estimates behavior. b) More likely to be used to increase behaviors (on-task). c) Reported as percent of interval
Partial-Interval
Behavior occurs at anytime during a pre-set interval a) Over estimates behavior. b) More likely to be used to decrease behaviors (out-of-seat). c) Used to measure continuous behavior. d) Multiple occurrences in an interval are scored as One. e) Does not capture duration. f) Compute the % of intervals that the behavior was displayed.
Momentary Time Sampling, Momentary Interval Sampling, or Time Sampling
Recording if behavior is occurring at the end of predetermined interval. a) Reported as percent of intervals. b) Does not require continuous observation. c) The nonobservational period is referred to as the “wait” component. d) The observational period is referred to as the “record” component.
Planned Activity Check
Variation of momentary time sampling
Permanent Product
Measure some artifact of the behavior, not the behavior itself in time (e.g., self Injury trauma scale, written math responses). Determining Appropriate Use: Is real-time measurement needed? Moment to moment decisions required
Advantages of Permanent Product Recording:
- Practitioner free to do other tasks. 2. Possible measurement of otherwise inaccessible behavior. 3. More accurate, complete, continuous. 4. Easier data collection (IOA, treatment integrity). 5. Measurement of complex behavior
Disadvantages of Permanent Product Recording
- Each occurrence must produce same product. 2. Product can only be produced by target behavior
Event Recording
measurement procedure for obtaining a tally or count of the number of times a behavior occurs.
Event Recording – Advantages
- multiple topographies can be recorded. 2. easy if limited # of events. 3. unambiguous estimate of how often behavior occurs. 4. makes it possible to calculate percent opportunities or rate. 5. Can be used to record multiple topographies of behavior and stimuli as discrete events
Event Recording – Disadvantages:
- Requires continuous observation. 2. Confounds duration with frequency for events that vary in length. 3. Bx should not happen at high rates. 4. Bx should not occur for long duration
Observational reactivity
How people change their behavior when novel observers are introduced. (allow time)
Observer drift
During the course of an experiment the definitions being used by observers implicitly or explicitly change. (retraining required)
Artifact
Something that appears to exist because of the way it is examined or measured
