Topic 2: Observing and Recording Behavior & Ethics Flashcards
Behavioral Assesssment
measurement of the target behavior (or behaviors) in behavior modification, may also refer to measurement of consequences of the target behavior
Indirect Assessment
assessment that relies on information from others
the information on the problem behavior, antecedents and consequences is not derived from direct observation but from retrospective report in interviews and questionnaires
Direct Assessment
behavioral assessment involving direct observation and recording of the behavior as it occurs
direct assessment may also refer to direct observation and recording of the antecedents and consequences of the behavior
Interobserver Agreement (IOA)
occurs when two observers independently observe and record a person’s behavior at the same time and agree on the occurrence of the behavior
Self-Monitering
a type of direct observation data collection in which the client observes and records his or her own behavior as it occurs
Observation Period
the time period in which an observer observes and records the behavior of a client participating in a behavior modification program
Natural Setting
an observation setting that is part of the client’s normal daily routine, the target behavior typically occurs in the natural setting
Analogue Setting
an observation setting that is not part of the client’s normal daily routine, typically involves a setting such as a separate room where all stimuli and activities are controlled by the experimenter
Structured Observation
the observer provides instructions or arranges for specific events or activities to occur during the observation period
Unstructured Observation
no specific events, activities, or instructions are given during the observation period
Continuous Recording
a type of recording procedure in which some aspect of the behavior is recorded each time the behavior occurs, frequency, duration, latency, or intensity can be recorded in a continuous recording procedure
Real-Time Recording
a recording method in which you record the exact time of each onset and offset of the target behavior in the observation period, it results in information on the frequency and duration of the target behavior, as well as the exact timing of each instance of the behavior in the observation period
Baseline
the condition or phrase in which no treatment is implemented
Product Recording
a type of behavioral recording in which the outcome or permanent product of the behavior is recorded as an indication of the occurrence of the behavior
Interval Recording
a type of behavior recording procedure in which the observation period is divided into a number of consecutive time intervals and the behavior is recorded as occurring or not occurring in each of the intervals
Partial-Interval Recording
the observer scores the interval if the behavior occurred during any part of the interval
Whole-Interval Recording
the occurrence of the behavior is marked in an interval only when the behavior occurs throughout the entire interval
Frequency-Within-Interval Recording
method in which the number of times the target behavior occurs (frequency) is recorded within consecutive intervals of time during the observation period
Time-Sample Recording
a behavior recording procedure in which the observation period is divided into intervals, and the behavior is recorded during a part of each interval, the observation intervals are discontinuous
Momentary Time Sample Recording
a variation of time sample recording in which the behavior is recorded only if it occurs at the exact instant the interval ends
Reactivity
the phenomenon in which the process of recording behavior causes the behavior to change even before treatment is implemented for the behavior
What is the general methodology of the experimental analysis of behavior?
dependent variable: rate or frequency of response is most commonly used
repeated or continuous measurement made of precisely defined responses
within-subjects experimental design: one person’s response is compared to their own response in a different situation/at another time, in contrast a typical between-subjects design compares one group 9experiemntal) to another (control)
visual analysis of graphed data is preferred over statistical analysis and inference
description of functional relations driven by data is valued over formal theory testing (e.g. no hypothetical constructs are used, such as mental images or superego)
What is the screening or intake phase in a behavior modification program?
obtain client demographic information, and reasons for seeking assistance
established whether behavior modification is appropriate for the client
inform client of practitioner’s polices and procedures
screen for crisis condition (e.g. child abuse, suicide risk) requiring immediate intervention
diagnose client according to DSM-5 to determine eligibility for treatment or insurance benefit coverage
What is the preprogram assessment or baseline phase in a behavior modification program?
define and measure initial “baseline” level of behavior
What is the treatment phase in a behavior modification program?
actively apply training, intervention, or treatment program
What is the follow-up phase in a behavior modification program?
determine effects on behavior following termination of treatment program
What is behavioral assessment?
definition: measuring the target behavior of a client (or target person)
performed by consider the “who, what, where, when, and how” of the target behavior
Who is being assessed in behavioral assessment?
called the target person or client (not patient)
use person-first language (e.g. “person who has autism”)
however, some autism self-advocates prefer identity first language (e.g. “I am an autistic person”)
Who is the observer in behavioral assessment?
may be professional (e.g. licensed behavior analyst or psychologist)
may be a layperson (e.g. teacher or coach)
may observe oneself (e.g. self-monitoring, you are your own client and therapist)
potential problems: observer is poorly trained, unmotivated, or biased
What is the target behavior?
the behavior that you’re interested in changing (i.e. increasing or decreasing in frequency)
the “what”
What is the behavioral goal?
level of the target behavior that a program is designed to achieve
What is the outcome goal?
broad, abstract result that one wishes to attain, often recognized as important by society
the “why”
What is the relationship between target behavior, behavioral goal, and outcome goal?
target behavior is not the same thing as a behavioral goal, behavioral goal is not the same thing as an outcome goal
target behavior: “drinking water”
behavioral goal: “I want to drink 1 liter of water per day, five days a week”
outcome goal: “to be healthy”
How is the behavior measured in behavioral assessment?
behavior must be defined and quantified
poor definition: “to eat healthier”
better definition: “to eliminate dessert from the dinnertime meal and replace it with one vegetable”
What are the guidelines to defining behavior?
describe objectively: avoid labels (like “depressed”)
use active verbs
no inference made about internal states or motivation
defined so that multiple people can agree: interobserver agreement (IOA), a.k.a. interobserver reliability (IOR)
What are the six common dimensions of behavior that can be measured?
frequency
duration
latency
intensity
product recording
quality
What is frequency?
number of responses in a given period of time
e.g. number of incidents of bed-wetting in a week
What is duration?
length of time of behavior
e.g. duration of social interaction in those with social anxiety disorder
What is latency?
time between an antecedent stimulus or event, and the onset of behavior
e.g., length of time after teacher makes a request to return a task until student complies
What is intensity?
assesses strength of behavior, often with a rating scale
e.g. sound pressure level of shy girls voice, un dB
e.g. number of calories eaten
What is product recording?
measure tangible output of behavior, only used if the behavior cannot be observed or measured
e.g. number of relays assembles in one work shift
What is quality?
often arbitrary judgement of social value, may use rating scale
e.g. ISU judging system for figure skating
What is an operational definition?
a precise, objective definition of a term by specifying the operations the researcher or observer made to measure it, the “how”
e.g. anxiety is the score on an anxiety questionnaire
What are the potential problems with operational definitions?
definition may be vague, subjective, incomplete, or have loopholes
some behaviors best captured by multiple dimensions
What is direct assessment?
antecedents, target behaviors, and consequences are observed and recorded as they occur
e.g. by oneself, in self-monitoring
e.g. in the same room as client, or secretly watching through a two-way mirror
What is indirect assessment?
based on second-hand (or third-hand), remembered information
e.g. questionnaires/rating scales
e.g. role-playing: client re-creates a problematic situation
e.g. information from consulting professionals (physicians, social workers, etc.)
e.g. interviews with clients and significant others
What are the potential problems with direct and indirect assessment?
indirect generally less accurate than direct assessment (observers may not have training, memory can be fallible/distorted)
direct is more difficult than indirect assessment (more time-consuming, observers need to be trained, others can observe covert behaviors)
What is a natural setting?
behavior observed in target person’s typical environment
e.g. a student in a classroom
What is an analogue setting?
behavior observed in a simulated location
e.g. a lab made to look like a classroom
What is unstructured observation?
observations made without giving instructions, or altering events or activities
e.g. client performs their typical daily life activities
What is structured observation?
observations made while instructions are given, or specific events are planned to occur systematically
e.g. client asked to grasp various objects to see how pain affects movement
What are some potential problems with where behavior occurs in behavioral assessment?
natural settings may prevent accurate measurement (noisy workplace, crowded room)
reactivity: recording or measuring a behavior affects occurrence the behavior (e.g. recording the time you spend studying may cause it to increase
What is continuous recording?
record every instance of client’s behavior during the entire observation period
suitable if each response has similar duration and behavior occurs at low rates
e.g. number of cigarettes smokes per day
What are the pros and cons of continuous recording?
pros: provides actual measure of behavior, well-suited to self-monitoring
cons: very labor intensive, impractical, or impossible
What is interval recording?
record target behavior within successive time intervals of equal duration
suitable for responses with variable durations or high rates
e.g. watching TV, checking instagram
What is partial-interval recording?
record behavior a maximum of once per interval, regardless of how many times it actually occurred (good for frequently occurring behaviors)
e.g. child talking to neighbor in class
What is whole-interval recording?
record behavior only if it persists during the entire interval (good for behaviors that have long durations)
e.g. child listening while teacher is talking
What are the pros and cons of interval recording?
pros: easier/less demanding to record than continuous recording
cons: less sensitive to true occurrence of behavior
What is time-sample recording?
record behavior during brief intervals separated from each other in time
e.g. record if child talks during 1 minute interval, measured every 10 minutes
What are the pros and cons of time-sample recording?
pros: easiest/least demanding to record
cons: more subject to sampling error
What are data sheets?
can record a behavior’s frequency, duration, latency, or occurrence in intervals
antecedents and consequences of behavior can also be recorded
What are ABC observation data sheets?
are used to identify and record antecedents, behaviors, and consequences
What are ABC observation checklists?
after antecedents and consequences have been identified, they can be more quickly recorded using a checklist
What is interobserver agreement (IOA)?
definition: statistic calculated to determine consistency in recording of target behavior
rationale: assessment is preferred to be highly consistent (>90%), IOA can reveal biases of an observer, IOA may be used to evaluate definition of target behavior
calculation depends on aspect being recorded
What is the formula for IOA for frequency?
smaller count/larger count x 100 = IOA (%)
What is the formula for IOA for duration or latency?
shorter time/larger time x 100 = IOA (%)
What is the formula for IOA for interval or time-sample recording?
use point-by-point agreement ratio
(A)/(A + D) x 100 = IOA (%)
A = number of agreement
D = number of diagreements
What are the rights a client has?
- a therapeutic environment
- services whose overriding goal is personal welfare
- treatment by a competent behavior analyst
- programs that teach functional skills
- behavioral assessment and ongoing evaluation
- the most effective treatment procedures available
What are dimensions of evaluation measured in program evaluation?
generalization: does the behavior occur in different situations other than the training context?
maintenance: how long does the behavior remain altered?
What is the amount and importance of the change when evaluating a program?
clinical significance of change: does the individual benefit from the treatment in a meaningful way?, does it return the individual to the “normal range”
social validity: does the behavior change have a beneficial impact on daily functioning?
social comparison: compare client to equivalent or “normal” group
expert evaluation: subjective evaluation by experts
What is the cost-benefit ratio?
are the benefits of the treatment larger than the costs required to conduct the treatment?
What is a side effect?
a result that is secondary to the active treatment
e.g. eating candy as reinforcement for studying leads to weight gain
What is a trade-off?
forgoing one desired aspect to gain another desired aspect (cost vs. benefit)
e.g. increased studying improves GPA by 1.0 vs. negiligible weight gain of 1 gram
What is a revenge effect?
ironic, unintended consequence of treatment
