Unit 2 Flashcards
A systematic approach for seeking and organizing knowledge about the natural world
Science
Goals of Science
Prediction, control and development of technology
Empirical phenomena; Direct observation & measurement; manipulate independent variables
Natural Science
Types of natural science
Physics, chemistry, biology, behavior analysis
Hypothetical constructs outside of the natural realm; Indirect observation & measurement; inferential statistics
Social Science
Types of social science
Psychology, sociology, political science
Philosophical assumptionsof behavior analysis
Determinism, empiricism, parsimony, philosophical doubt, pragmatism
The universe is a lawful and orderly place
Determinism (Philosophical assumption of behavior analysis)
All behavior is determined by the genetic makeup of an organism, its history and its current situation
Lawfulness of Behavior ( Philosophical assumption of behavior analysis)
Objective observation with thoroughdescription and quantification of the phenomena of interest, behavior
Empiricism (Philosophical assumption of behavior analysis)
2 elements of empiricism
Experimentation and Replication
Systematic manipulation of an independent variable
Experimentation
Repeating any part of an experiment
Replication
Requires that all simple, logical explanations for the phenomena of interest be ruled out experimentally before more complex or abstract explanations are considered
Parsimony
Continually question the truthfulness of what is regarded as fact
Philosophical Doubt
Assesses the truth of theories or beliefs in terms of the success of their practical application
Pragmatism
The philosophy or world view underlying behavior analysis.Posits that behavior is the subject matter of our science
Behaviorism
B.F. Skinner’s philosophy of the science of human behaviorand the most influential type of behaviorism for guiding the science and practice of behavior analysis.
Radical Behaviorism
Causes of behavior: inherited biological factors, organism’s experiential history and current environment
Determinants of Behavior
The process in which repeated cyclesoccur of variation, interaction with the environment, and differential replication as a function of the interaction
Selection
3 types of selection by consequences
Natural, Operant and Cultural
The environment selects which variations survive and are passed on
Natural Selection
Selection at the individual level; behavioral variability
Operant Selection
Cultural practices evolve as they contribute to the success of the practicing group and are passed on through generations
Cultural Selection
The nearness of events in time
Temporal contiguity
A dependency between events
Contingency
Types of Contingencies
S-S contingencies (paring)
R-S contingencies
S-R-S contingencies (the 3-term contingencies)
Basic operations
Direct observation, repeated measures, graphed data, manipulation, systematic evaluation, analysis and interpretation
Use our ears, eyes and other senses to directly observe behavior, environmental events and the real-life context
Direct Observation
Collecting data multiple times before intervention, multiple times after each intervention and multiple times during any other phase of the study
Repeated measures
Different types of graphs to chart repeated measures on an ongoing basis
Graph data
Manipulation
Altering antecedents and consequences in the environment
Using single-case designs to control for extraneous variables and each participant serves as his own control
Systematic evaluation
Using single case designs and graphed data to make statements about functional relations between behavior and environmental events
Analysis and Interpretation
Contingently present a stimulus immediately after the response.
Consequential Operation (+)
Contingently remove a stimulus immediately after the response.
Consequential Operation (-)
Arelatively permanent change in behavior as a result of experience
Learning
