Unit 5 Flashcards
In ABA, systematic manipulation (experimental design involves:
-Repeated, systematic presentation and removal of an independent variable (change in environmental events/conditions) while measuring changes in the dependent variable and holding other factors constant.
In ABA, there is no distinction between systematic manipulation used to…
Evaluate the effects of a treatment and to answer a research question.
The primary goal of systematic experimental manipulation are:
- To demonstrate a functional relation between the IV and DV
- To evaluate the interventions once they are decided upon
Functional Analysis
Quantitative direct observation of behavior under systematically manipulated and controlled conditions. Not just a method of assessing problem behavior.
Internal validity
The extent to which an analysis assures that measured changes in behavior are due to the manipulation and not due to uncontrolled extraneous variables.
External validity
The extent to which a study’s results are generalizable to other subjects, settings, or behaviors.
What type of validity takes priority and why?
Internal validity. It makes little sense to consider the generality of the effect if extraneous variables cannot be ruled out for the effect.
What are the threats to internal validity?
(THARMIDS)
- Testing
- History
- Attrition
- Regression
- Maturation
- Instrumentation
- Diffusion
- Selection Bias
What are the threats to internal validity?
(THARMIDS)
- Testing
- History
- Attrition
- Regression
- Maturation
- Instrumentation
- Diffusion
- Selection Bias
Internal Validity Threat: History
Introduction of the independent variable may coincide with other events in the person’s life. Those other events could have produced those effects. (Simultaneous medication change)
Internal Validity Threat: Maturation
Natural developmental events or learning experiences may coincide with the introduction of the independent variable to produce the change (growing older, stronger, healthier, etc.)
Internal Validity Threat: Testing
Changes in the dependent variable may have come about as a function of repeated exposure to the experimental arrangements (E.g., practice effects)
Practice effects
Accuracy on task occurs as a function of repeated exposure to the task before the IV is introduces.
Internal Validity Threat: Instrumentation
Changes may reflect modifications in the measurement systems rather than effects of the IV (E.g., Subjective judgments of human observers, poor integrity of treatment delivery, damaged or new equipment, poor calibration of measurement devices)
Internal Validity Threat: Diffusion
Inadvertent, uncontrolled “seepage” of the treatment to control conditions or control subjects.
(E.g., Parent gets child to practice new skill before the intervention is formally introduced)
Internal Validity Threat: Regression
Regression towards the mean. Changes occurred because baseline measurements were not representative of the natural state of events (E.g., Unusual events took place on the initial day of testing which were not in place after intervention, so it looks like the intervention was effective.
Why is regression perhaps less relevant to single-case designs (SCD)?
Repeated measurement.
Internal Validity Threat: Selection Bias
The assignment of subjects to groups may have biased the outcome even in the absence of any intervention.
Self-Selection Bias
Participants who for various reasons are more prone to show greater improvements may also be more likely to participate in the study.
Why is selection bias perhaps less relevant to SCDs?
Participants serve as their own controls - Individual exposed to both baseline and intervention
Internal Validity Threat: Attrition
The loss of subjects over time, especially if systematic, may influence the effects. (E.g., subjects that tended towards the extreme ends of the measure may leave selectively, thereby skewing the sample at post-test.
Why is attrition less relevant to SCD?
Participants serve as their own controls.
Strategies for minimizing threats to internal validity
R.I.M.S.
- Replication
- Immediacy
- Measurement
- Stability
Minimizing Validity Threats: Measurement
Continuous assessment - collecting data on the dependent measure for an extended period of time (in contrast to very small samples of the dependent variable.
Why does measurement minimize validity threats?
Helps to rule out that change came about as a function of factors that could have altered performance over time (E,g., Testing, regression, maturation)
Minimizing Validity Threats: Stability
Establishing the stability of the target behavior. If levels of the DV remains relatively stable over time before the independent variable is introduced
Why does stability minimize validity threats?
The likelihood that the change can be attributed to the independent variable increases.
Minimizing Validity Threats: Immediacy
Immediate effects of the independent variable. The more immediate the effect, the stronger the case that the IV produced it.
Why does immediacy minimize validity threats?
Slow effects that appear long after the introduction of the IV call into question whether the change was imminent despite the intervention (i.e., intervening events may have caused the change)
Minimizing Validity Threats: Replication
Demonstration using multiple cases.
Why does replication minimize validity threats?
If the IV affects many subjects in the same manner a stronger case can be made that it produced the change.
Single-Case Designs
Involve the repeated and systematic presentation and removal of a treatment and measurement of behavior while holding other factors constant.
In behavior analysis, valid experimental design and ____ are synonymous.
In behavior analysis, valid experimental design and rigorous treatment evaluation are synonymous.
What are the characteristics of Single-Case Designs
A variety of research designs that use baseline logic to demonstrate the effects of the independent variable on the behavior of individual subjects
What are Single-Case Designs also known as?
Single-subject design
- Within-subjects design (probably the most accurate)
- Intra-subject design
- Small n design
What is group designs also known as?
Between-Subjects
In Single-Case and Group Designs, the objective is the same:
To make valid inferences about the effect of the independent variable while ruling out other possible sources of variability between the experimental condition and the control condition
Single-case designs use what is known as ____ logic to examine the effects of _____ variables on behavior.
Baseline, independent
Group Design Controls
Comparisons made between groups of individuals (“Control” group vs. experimental group)
Single-Case Design Controls
Individual serves as own control (Before IV implemented compared to after IV implemented within one individual)
Group design IV Exposure
Each individual often exposed to only ONE level of the IV (E.g., either baseline OR treatment)
Single-Case Design IV Exposure
Each individual is exposed to each level of the IV (E.g., both baseline and treatment)