section 5 Flashcards
Experimental control
Aka functional relations
Analysis
Control
When a predictable change in behavior can be reliably produced by the systematic manipulations of some aspect of the individuals environment
4 important behavior elements
Behavior is individual
Behavior is continuous
Behavior is determined - by functional relations it holds to other events
Behavior variability is extrinsic to the organism
6 components of experiments in abs
At least one subject
At least on behavior
At least one setting
At least one treatment
A measurement system and ongoing analysis of data
An experimental design
Experimental question
Brief but specific statements of what the researcher wants to learn from experiment
At least 1 subject design
Aka
Single case designs
Within subject
Intra-subject design
Single subject doesn’t always mean one person- subject acts as his/her own control
Each subject (usually 4-8) data is graphed separately
At least 1 behavior
Aka dependent variable
1 DV is measured
Provide data patterns that can serve as controls for evaluating and replicating the effects of an IV
Collateral effect
Phenomenon in which the IV effects behaviors other than the targeted behavior
2 types of experimental designs
Nonparametric analysis
Parametric analysis
Nonparametric analysis
IV is either present or absent during study
Meds are given and taken away during study
Parametric analysis
The value of the IV is manipulated
Various doses of of medicine are given during the study
Treatment package
Aka behavioral package
When multiple Ivs are bundled into one program - such as token economic with praise and time out
Component analysis
Looks at effect of each part of treatment package
Steady state responding
Aka stable state responding
Pattern of responding that exhibits very little variation in its measured dimensional quantities over a period of time
Provides the basis for baseline logic
Baseline logic
Refers to experimental reasoning
Prediction
Verification
Replication
Steady state strategy
Repeated exposure of a given subject to a given condition while trying to eliminate extraneous influences on behavior and obtaining a stable pattern of responding before introducing the next condition
4 patterns of baseline data
DAVS
Descending baseline
Ascending baseline
Variable baseline
Stable baseline
3 parts of baseline logic
Prediction
Verification
Replication
5 main experimental designs
Multiple baseline
Changing criterion
Reversal
Alternating treatments
Withdrawal
Multiple baseline design
Most widely used
Can do multiple baseline across
Behaviors
Settings
Subjects
Multiple baseline across behaviors
2 or more different behaviors of the SAME SUBJECT
Each subject serves as his/her own control
Multiple baseline across settings
A single behavior is targeted in 2 or more different settings or conditions.
Multiple baseline across subjects
One target behavior for 2 or more subjects in the same settings
Most widely used multiple baseline design
2 variations of multiple baseline design
Multiple probe design
Delayed multiple baseline design
Multiple probe design
Analyzes relation between the IV and acquisition of skill sequence
Instead of simultaneous baselines, probes provide the basis for determining if behavior change occurred prior to intervention
Delayed multiple baseline design
I tail baseline and intervention begin and subsequent baselines are added in a delayed or staggered fashion
Effective when reversal design is not possible, limited resources preclude a full scale design and when a new behavior, subject, or setting becomes available.
Guidelines for multiple baseline design
Select independent, yet functionally similar baselines
Select concurrent and plausibly related multiplied baselines
Do not apply the IV to the next behavior too soon
Vary significantly the lengths of multiple baseline
Intervene on the most stable baselines first
Changing criterion design
Experimental design in which an initial baseline phase is followed by a series of treatment phases consisting of successive and gradually changing criteria for reinforcement or punishment
There is only one behavior in this design
Guidelines for changing criterion design
Length of phases- vary the length of each phase
Magnitude of criterion change- size of change between each criterion should vary
Number of criterion changes - more changes the better proof
Reversal design
Aka
A b a b B a b
Design where researcher reverses responding to a level obtained in a previous condition
Alternation between baseline and a particular intervention
Requires at least 3 consecutive phases-
Baseline A
Intervention B
Return to baseline A
A B A B is stronger that A B A design
5 variations of reversal designs
Repeated reversals
BAB
Multiple treatment design
NCR reversal technique
DRO/DRA/DRI Reversal technique
Repeated reversals
Simple extension of. ABAB
Ex ABABABABAB
The more reversals the stronger your evidence of control
BAB reversals
Three phase reversal design
Phase 1 IV B
Phase 2 IV removed A
Phase 3 IV reintroduced B
Weaker than the ABA design because it is not enable assessment of the effects of the IV during baseline
Best design when your client displayed severe and dangerous behaviors as he did not wait to start intervention
Sequence effects
Aka
Carryover effects
Alteration effects
Effects on the subjects behavior in a given condition that are the result of the subjects experience with the prior condition
Using an ABCBC design but you want to se what C does alone so you can go ACAC to assess it
Multiple treatment reversal
A type of reversal design that compares two or more IVs to baseline and/or to one another
You can tell you are dealing with the multiple treatment reversal when letters are added like C or D
A b a c a b a c
A b c d a c a d
Non-contingent reinforcement reversal technique
An experimental technique for showing the effects of reinforcement by using in NCR As a control condition instead of a baseline condition in which no reinforcement is provided
Allows us to examine contingent reinforcement
DRO/DRI/DRA reversal technique
An experimental technique for showing the effects of reinforcement by using DRO, DRA or DRI is a control condition instead of the baseline condition in which no reinforcement is provided
DRO
Reinforcement following any behavior other than the target behavior
DRI
Reinforcement following behavior that is physically incompatible with the target behavior
DRA
Reinforcement following an alternative behavior other than the target behavior
Irreversibility
The level of behavior observed in an earlier phase cannot be reproduced even though experimental conditions are the same as when they were during the earlier phase
How to ride a bike is something that once you’ve learned it you cannot know how to not do it- its reversible
Alternating treatment design
AKAs
SCAMMM
Simultaneous treatment design Concurrent schedules design Alternating treatments design Multi element baseline design Multi element design Multiple schedules design
Alternating treatments design
An experimental design and which two or more conditions are presented in rapidly alternating succession independent of the level of responding and the differential effects on the target behavior are noted
Compares 2 or more IVs to one another to see which IV would be best to utilize with the client
3 variations of alternating treatments design
Alternating treatments design Single phase without baseline
Alternating treatments design with baseline
Alternating treatments design with baseline and final best treatment phase
Alternating treatment design single phase without baseline
Does not require initial baseline
Alternating treatment design with baseline
Whenever possible baseline should be conducted as it shows the change produced by each treatment compared to the natural level of performance without an intervention
Alternating treatment design with baseline and final best treatment phase
Most widely used of these designs
3 problems avoided by alternating treatment designs
ISU
Irreversibility
Sequence effects
Unstable data
Advantages of alternating treatment design
Does not require treatment withdrawal
Speedy comparison
Minimizes irreversibility problem
Minimizes sequence effects
Can be used with unstable data
Can be used to assess generality of effects
Intervention can begin immediately without baseline data
Disadvantages of alternating treatment design
Multiple treatment interference
A natural nature of rapidly alternating treatments
Limited capacity of design
Selection of treatments
2 types of validity in experimental designs
Internal validity
External validity
Internal validity
The extent to which an experiment shows convincingly that changes in behavior are a function of the IV and not the result of uncontrolled or unknown variables
For confounding threats to internal validity
MISS
Measurement confounds
IV confounds
Subject confounds
Setting confounds
Measurements confounds
Refers to the number in the intricacies of the behaviors you are targeting
May occur due to
Observer drift
Reactivity
Observer bias
IV confounds
IVs are complicated and given together usually in a treatment package
Ex- giving money as reinforcer - also giving attention when you give the money- so is it money or attention that is the maintaining reinforcer???
Subject confounds
Maturation- changes in subject over course of the study
Repeated measurement detects uncontrolled variables
Settings confounds
Studies in natural settings are more prone to confounding variable’s then in controlled laboratories
You should hold all possible aspects of the study constant until repeated measurements again reveal stable responding
Bootleg reinforcement may also occur in the natural setting
Bootleg reinforcement
Secretive reinforcement that is not part of your behavior plan
Confounding Variables
Aka
Extraneous variables
Uncontrolled influence on a research study
Uncontrolled factor known or suspected to exert influence on the dependent variable
Extraneous variables
Any aspect of the environment that must be a constant to prevent unplanned environmental variation like lighting space temperature
External validity
Hint external validity is generalizable to the external world
Degree to which is studies results are generalizable to other subjects settings and or behaviors
Replication establishes external validity
Two major types of scientific replication method used in ABA
Direct replication
Systematic replication
Direct replication
Researchers exactly duplicate a previous study
Systematic replication
Research is purposely vary one or more aspect of an earlier experiment
Demonstrates reliability and external validity by showing the same affect can occur under different conditions
Treatment integrity
Aka
Procedural Fidelity
Fidelity of implementation
Program integrity
Extent to which the IV is implemented or carried out as planned
Low treatment integrity is very difficult to interpret experimental results
Treatment drift
An application of the IV in later phases differs from the original application
Two types of errors in evaluating ABA research
Type one false positive
Assuming the IV affected the DV when it actually did not
Type two false negative
Assuming the ivy did not affect the TV when it actually did
