Unit 5 Flashcards
Natural Science is ____, but ______
Inductive, not deductive
Inductive
Contact with phenomenon through observation and measurement prior to developing any kind of interpretive language about it
Natural science of behavior focuses on
Observable behavior and objective, operational definitions
Natural Science: Use of
Standard, absolute unit of measures
Standard
Widely used by the community
Absolute
The measure never changes
Universal
Can be applied to every instance where that type of measure is important
Dimensionless quantities are
Abstractions from the behavior of interest
Dimensionless quantities are _____ to _____
Less sensitive to environmental variables
Free operant
Behavior that is free to occur at any time
Restricted operants
Behavior that requires an opportunity to occur
Restricted operants are also known as
Discriminated operants
E.L. Thorndike’s experiments: Type of operant
Restricted operant responding within a discrete trial
E.L. Thorndike’s experiments: Start/end of the trial
Start: Cat locked in a puzzle box
End: Cat escapes the box (can only occur one time per trial
E.L. Thorndike’s experiments: Measure
Latency to engage in target behavior
Skinner’s experiments: Type of operant
Free operant responding - organism can engage in target behavior any number of times while on the operant chamber
Skinner experiments: Measure
Celeration
Cumulative record
Graphic display of the number of responses recording during an observation period added to the total number of responses recorded across an amount of time
Within-Session Cumulative Record
Graphic display of the number of responses recording within an observation period added to the total number of responses recorded
Across-Session Cumulative Record
Graphic display of the number of responses recorded added to the total number of responses recorded across an amount of times
Across-Session Cumulative Record is sometimes called
Cumulative graph
Interpreting Cumulative Records: Each data point indicates
The total number of responses up to that point in time
Interpreting Cumulative Records: The steeper the slope,
The higher rate of response
Interpreting Cumulative Records: A flat, horizontal line indicates
No responding during that time period
Overall Response Rate on Cumulative Records
Average rate of response during a specific period
Calculate: Divided the total number of responses by the number of recorded observations
Local response rate on cumulative records
Rate of responding during shorter periods of time than the period for which the overall response rate has been calculated
Cumulative records may be preferable to an equal-interval line graph when:
-Progress towards a goal can be measured in cumulative units
-Delivering feedback
-Behavior occurs or doesn’t occur just once per session
-Comparing environmental variables
Progress towards a goal
Target behavior of interest in the total number of responses emitting overall or within in a time period
Progress towards a goal examples
Number of dollars saved, number of new words read
Delivering feedback
Since behavior continues to add to the total, the cumulative graph will never show a decelerating trend
A cumulate record May be less like to ____ than line graphs with deceleration
Evoke negative effects (avoidance, embarrassment, etc)
One opportunity per session
When behavior can only happen or not happen one time, a cumulative graph can allow for easier interpretation of results (trend is more obvious)
Cumulative record advantages: comparing environmental variables
Cumulative records can demonstrate differences in multiple interventions (relative client preference for one intervention over another, relative efficacy and/or efficiency of one intervention over another
Cumulative record considerations
-Respinse rate per session may not be obvious
-Gradual changes in slope may be difficult to detect
Semilogarithmic Graph
Graph that uses a logarithmic ratio scale for the y-axis and a linear equal-interval scale for the other
Semi-log graph is sometimes called
Ratio graph
In a semi log graph, the y-axis uses
Ratio scale moving via multiplication and division
Absolute Change
The actual amount of difference between data at one point in time and another
Relative change
The proportional amount of difference between data at one point in time and another
