Unit 7 Flashcards
a scientific approach to the study of functional relations between behavior and the environment
behavior analysis
assumptions of science
determinism empiricism scientific manipulation (experimentation) parsimony philosophic doubt
all phenomena occur as a result of other events
determinism
objective observation with thorough description and quantification of the phenomena of interest
empiricism
scientific manipulation (experimentation)
events that are thought to affect the phenomena of interest are carefully and systematically manipulated to elucidate their effects.
requires that all, simple, logical explanations for the phenomena of interest be ruled out experimentally before more complex or abstract explanations are considered
parsimony
conclusions are derived from scientific manipulation are tentative. they may be modified or discarded when new facts or discoveries come to life
philosophic doubt (skepticism)
the philosophy of a science of behavior
behaviorism
a philosophical position that considers behavioral events that cannot be publicly observed to be outside the realm of science
methodological behaviorism
a thoroughgoing form of behaviorism that attempts to understand all human behavior, including private events such as thoughts and feelings, in terms of controlling variables in the history of the person (ontogeny) and the species (phylogeny)
radical behaviorism
a fictitious or hypothetical variable that often takes the form of another name for the observed phenomenon it claims to explain and contributes nothing to a functional account or understanding of the phenomenon
explanatory fictions
types of explanatory fictions
mentalisms (circular explanations)
teleological explanations
future events, mistakenly, are used to explain behavior
teleological explanations
an approach to explain bx that assumes that a mental, or ‘inner,’ dimension exists that differs from a behavioral dimension and that phenomena in this dimension either directly cause or at least mediate some forms of bx, if not all.
mentalisms (explanatory fictions)
the science in which tactics derived from the principles of bx are applied systematically to improve socially significant bx and experimentation is used to identify the variables responsible for behavior change
ABA
characteristics of ABA (dimensions)
applied behavioral analytic technological conceptually systematic effective generality
investigates socially significant bx with immediate importance to the subjects
applied
entails precise measurement of the actual bx in need of improvement and documents that it was the subject’s bx that changed
behavioral
demonstrates experimental control over the occurrence and nonoccurrence of the bx – that is, if a functional relation is demonstrated
analytic
the written description of all procedures used in the study is sufficiently complete and detailed to enable others to replicate it.
technological
behavior change interventions are derived from basic principles of bx
conceptually systematic
improves bx sufficiently to produce practical results for the participant/client
effective
produces bx changes that last over time, appear in other environments, or spread to other bxs
generality
methodologies of EAB
direct, repeated measurement of bx
rate of responding as the basic datum
visual inference
within subject comparisons
work with clients who engage in a problem bx and/or who have atypical skill deficits
clinical behavior analysis
develop instructional materials and techniques that are used by teachers to provide more effective instruction to students
educational behavior analysis
work on staff performance, productivity, reducing absenteeism and turnover, and safety
organizational behavior management (OBM) or
performance management systems (PM)
our basic research and experimental methodology
experimental analysis of bx (EAB)
the set of assessment and behavioral change procedures validated by ABA researchers
behavioral technology
the variable in an experiment measured to determine if it changes as a result of manipulations of the independent variable
dependent variable (DV)
the variable that is systematically manipulated by the researcher in an experiment to see whether changes in the independent variable produce reliable changes in the dependent variable.
independent variable IV
how behavior is measured
response measure
the interval of time in which the dependent variable is observed and measured
recording interval
a condition of an experiment in which the IV is not present
baseline
a condition of an experiment in which the independent variable is present
intervention
Behavior is lawful. The universe is a lawful and orderly place.
determinism
All phenomena occur as a result of other events.
determinism
behavior is a function of genetics and the environment
determinism
bx can be studied scientifically
empiricism
Objective observation with thorough description and quantification of the phenomena of interest, behavior, with regard to behavioral dimensions.
empiricism
Induction is used to derive scientific facts.
empiricism
Events that are thought to affect the phenomena of interest are carefully and systematically manipulated to elucidate their effects.
scientific manipulation
All simple, logical explanations for the phenomena of interest be ruled out experimentally before more complex or extract explanations are considered.
parsimony
AKA Ocham’s Razor
parsimony
Skepticism: Conclusions derived from scientific manipulations are tentative. They may be modified or discarded when new facts or discoveries come to life.
philosophic doubt
The philosophy underlying behavior analysis
behaviorism
Rejects casual variables such as the “mind, will, and self” and other hypothetical constructs as explanatory fictions
behaviorism
Determined by past and current environmental events in concert with genetics and organic variables.
behaviorism
Includes verbal behavior, private events, and a utopian view: save the world!
Skinner’s Radical Behaviorism
A comprehensive analysis of human behavior based upon contingencies of reinforcement in a person’s life (ontogenic variables) as well as what Natural Selection has chosen for the species (phylogenic variables)
Explanatory fictions
Summary labels of behavior such as traits, states, attitudes, and diagnostic categories, are used to explain behavior.
Explanatory fictions
Description becomes an explanation. But the supposed cause cannot be observed independently of the behavior it is supposed to explain.
Explanatory fictions
Teleological explanations: future events, mistakenly, are used to explain behavior (in order to, trying to get, he will)
Explanatory fictions
Provides the scientific method for studying behavior. It uses cumulative records, manipulation of variables & automated recording
Experimental analysis of behavior EAB
Direct, repeated measurement of behavior
Four methodologies of EAB
Rate of response as the basic datum, instead of number of errors of percent (# of responses/unit of time)
Four methodologies of EAB
Visual inference instead of statistical inference (graphing)
Four methodologies of EAB
Within subject comparisons instead of group (statistical) designs. Each individual subject acts as their own control
Four methodologies of EAB
The design, implementation, and evaluation of environmental modifications to produce socially significant improvements in human behavior
Applied Behavior Analysis
Includes the use of direct observation, measurement, and functional analysis of the relations between environment and behavior
ABA
Based on the findings of descriptive and functional analysis, ABA uses antecedents & consequences to produce practical change
ABA
The characteristic that makes our approach to assessment, intervention, and evaluation unique
7 dimensions of ABA
ABA focuses on the implementation of basic principles to change behaviors of social significance to clients (of immediate importance to clients)
Applied
ABA focuses on behavior in its own right as a target for change. Bx is directly observed and measured in the real-life environment
Behavioral
ABA seeks to identify functional relations between manipulated environmental events and behavior through systematic and controlled manipulations
Analytical
In ABA procedures are completely identified and precisely described and defined.
Technological
In ABA procedures are linked to and described in terms of the basic principles of behavior
Conceptually Systematic
ABA is an accountable discipline and changes in procedure are data-based. We revise our treatment protocols based on our data. If the plan is not effective, we revise it until we get the desired effect
Effective
ABA discovers procedures that can be applied effectively to many persons and in many settings
Generality
