Unit 1 study guide Flashcards
Behavior
an individual living organisms, activity. Public or private which may be influenced by external or internal stimulation.
Public behavior
Any behavior that a subject would or could perform in public without any special devices or interventions.
Private behavior
Behaviors that are only observable by the person experiencing them.
First goal of behavior analysis
To scientifically understand the environment variables that impact the behavior of living things.
Second goal of behavior analysis
To discover functional variables that may be used to positively influence behavior.
First assumption of behavior analysis
Behavior has a cause, or multiple causes
Second assumption of behavior analysis
Scientific method is the best method.
What does it mean to say that behavior is determined?
Behavior has a cause, or multiple causes
Empirical evidence
Evidence must be observable.
Mentalistic explanation of behavior
When we explain one behavior by appealing to a second.
What do people observe that leads them to conclude that “the behavior is willed” or “the behavior is not willed”?
The action was not set into motion by a triggering event.
3 problems with the theory that a conscious, mental decision- maker is responsible for our behavior
- Choice is behavior
- Choice is determined by functionable variables
- Suprious reason-making: reasons that have nothing to do with our decision and that we believe.
What was the important finding of the Libet studies?
Found that unconscious brain activity preceded the conscious intention to perform a simple motor action
Stimulus
Any event or situation that evokes a response
What is a falsifiable hypothesis?
Logically capable of being proven false.
Why is the characteristic of a falsifiable hypothesis important?
The hypothesis must be capable of being tested and proven wrong.
Why is replication important in behavioral science?
Researches can determine the validity of the study’s results. It helps verify that the presence of a behavior at one point in time is not due to chance.
What is a variable?
things that can be changed or altered, such as a characteristic or value.
Independent variable
the variable that is manipulated by the experimenter
Dependent variable
the variable that changes as a result of the independent variable manipulation.
Functional variable
The thing you add to test how the behavior will change.
Three components of a behavioral experiment
Dependent, falsifiable, independent.
What does it mean to say that correlation does not imply causation?
Seeing two variables moving together does not necessarily mean we know whether one variable causes the other to occur.
Direct observation
Behavior is recorded as the behavior occurs, or a lasting product of the behavior is recorded at a later time.
Self report measures
Most widely used, the subject will report on their behavior.
Benefits of direct observation
You can document activities, behavior, and physical aspects of a situation without having to depend on people’s’ willingness or ability to respond accurately to questions.
Drawback of direct observation
more intrusive than other methods and can alter individuals behaviors if the subjects know that they are being studied.
Benefits of self report measures
Being able to measure a range of discrete emotions.
they are easier to administer and require little expertise.
Drawbacks of self report measures
Possibility of providing invalid or untruthful answers.
Behavioral definition
A definition to show the behavior that is being observed. includes examples and non examples.
why are behavioral definitions important, and what are the characteristics of a good behavioral definition?
They reduce confusion and ensure accurate data collection. Allows for a high IOA. They are objective, clear, unambiguous, ad complete.
What is social validity?
The social importance and acceptability of treatment goals, procedures, and outcomes.
Why is social validity important in behavior analysis?
It is useful in determining if changes that we produce in behavior are acceptable and efficient for the person and those that interact with the person.
What is IOA
Interobserver Agreement. The degree to which two+ independent observers have the same findings.
How do you calculate IOA?
ioa=agreements/(agreements+disagreements)x100
Four dimensions along which behavior can be measured.
Frequency, duration, intensity, and latency
Frequency
the number of times the behavior occurs in an observation period.
Duration
Total amount of time occupied by the behavior from start to finish.
Intensity
the amount of force, energy, or exertion involved in the behavior.
Latency
the time from some stimulus to the onset of the behavior.