Week 2: Research Methods Flashcards
Variable
Characteristic of a person, place, or thing that can vary over time or from one situation to another
Independent Variable
Aspect of the experiment that is made to systematically vary across the different conditions. Manipulated.
Dependent Variable
Aspect of an experiment that is allowed to vary freely to see if its affected by changes in the independent variable. Usually some type of behaviour.
Functional Relationship
Relationship between changes in an IV and changes in a DV
Cause and effect relationship
Stimulus
Any event that can potentially influence behaviour
Response
Particular instance of behaviour. Often a category of responses.
Overt
Observable behaviour.
Covert
Can only be perceived by the person performing the behaviour. Private events or behaviours.
Appetitive Stimulus
An event an organism will seek out.
Aversive Stimulus
An event an organism will avoid.
Motivating Operations
Any procedure that affects the appetitiveness or aversiveness of an event.
Establishing Operation
Procedure that increases the appetitiveness or aversiveness of an event. Ex: Depravation increasing appetitive value of food.
Abolishing Operation
Procedure that decreases the appetitiveness or aversiveness of an event. Ex: Satiation.
Contiguity
Closeness, or nearness.
Temporal Contiguity
Extent to which events occur close together in time. Ex: thunder and lightening.
Spatial Contiguity
Extent to which events are situated close to each other in space. Ex: Dogs learning a knock means someones at the door sooner than learning a bell means someones at the door.
Behavioural Definitions should:
Be unambigious
Objective - observable
So shift in behaviour is because of treatment, not because of shift in definition.
Rate of Response
The frequency in which a response occurs in a certain period of time.
Ex: # of smokes per day.
Cumulative Recorder
Device that measures the total number of response over time, provides graphic depiction of rate of behaviour. Like lie detector test.
Intensity
Force or magnitude of a behaviour. Ex: amount of saliva.
Duration
Length of time that an individual repeatedly or continuously performs a behaviour.
Ex: Amount of time spent studying.
Speed
The length of time it takes for an episode of behaviour to occur from start to finish.
Ex: time to finish a maze.
Latency
Length of time required for a behaviour to begin.
Ex: Athlete’s reaction to starting pistol.
Interval Recording & Pro
Measurement of whether or not a behaviour occurs during each interval within a series of continuous intervals.
Pro: Don’t need to record every response, good if can’t detect official start or end of behaviour (argument).
Time-Sample Recording & Pro
Measuring whether or not a behaviour occurs during each interval in a series of discontinuous intervals.
Pro: Time efficient, provides good approximation.
Topography
Physical form of behaviour.
Ex: left or right arm used to press lever.
Number of Errors
Ex: number of wrong turns made in maze
How to asses reliability, and adequate score:
Interobserver reliability - 2 or more observers, calculate agreed upon intervals divided by total intervals.
Adequate: 80%, preferred: 90%.
Descriptive Research
Gathering information about a behaviour and the circumstances within which it occurs. No manipulation.
Naturalistic Observation & Con
Systematically observing and recording the occurrence of a behaviour in its natural environment.
Con: Unsure of what variable influenced behaviour - no control of environment.
Experimental Research
One or more variables are systematically varied to determine their effect on dependent variables.
Group Designs
Manipulates one or more IV across a group of subjects. Involves random assignment to either a control group or experimental group and compare differences.
Factorial Design
One examines the effects of two or more IVs across groups of subjects. Ex: different age groups and food.
Comparative Design
Group of species constitutes one of the independent variables. Testing evolutionary hypothesis between species.
Pros and Cons of Group Designs
Pros: Good for assessing average effects of certain variables, strict control of environment, random assignment allows for good distribution of characteristics.
Cons: Requires large numbers, focuses on average performance ignoring special cases or other possibilities, results assessed at end of experiment leaving little flexibility to alter if negative.
Single-Subject Designs
One individual or a few subjects.
Simple-Comparison Design
Behaviour in baseline condition compared to behaviour in a treatment condition (AB).
Cons of of Simple-Comparison Design
Does not control of other events acting on dependent variables so only provides a suggestion, not a functional relationship.
Reactivity can occur - skews results.
Only a suggestion.
Baseline
Normal frequency of behaviour that occurs before any intervention.
Measure for several days - several weeks is ideal.
“A” component.
Reversal Design
Consists of repeated alternations between a baseline phase and a treatment phase.
Pros of Reversal Design
Can prove functional relationship. Entire experiment with one subject. Statistical tests aren't needed. Can replicate with another subject. Can asses effectiveness - can modify (ABCAC)
Cons of Reversal Design
If baseline behaviour doesn’t return - end of experiment.
Ethically inappropriate to remove effective treatment
Inappropriate when testing long-term effects.
Multiple-Baseline Design
Treatment instituted at successive points in time for two or more persons, settings, behaviours.
Pros of Mult-Base-Design
No ethical concerns - not removing treatment.
Can prove functional relationship.
Appropriate for permanent changes.
Cons of Mult-Base-Design
Requires more than one person, setting, or behaviour.
Treatment might generalize before planned timing.
Changing-Criterion Design
Effect of treatment is demonstrated by how closely s behaviour matches a criterion that is being systematically altered.
Good for gradual or permanent change.
Can raise criterion to strengthen.
Pros of using animals in behavioural research
Can control genetic makeup and learning history.
Can better control experimental environment.
Can perform more tests without violating ethics than humans.
Criticisms of using animals in behavioural research
Not similar enough to humans to generalize information.
Morally wrong - they have the same rights as humans.
