Unit Exam 1 Study Guide

A collection of key vocabulary terms and definitions related to behavior analysis concepts that students should know for the Unit Exam.

Behavior

The way in which one acts or conducts oneself, especially towards others.

Public Behavior

Observable actions that occur in social settings, as opposed to private behavior.

Private Behavior

Internal thoughts and feelings that are not observable by others.

Behavior Analysis

The scientific study of behavior, focusing on the principles of learning and behavior change.

Empirical Evidence

Information acquired by observation or experimentation that is used to test hypotheses.

Mentalistic Explanation

An interpretative view of behavior that relies on internal states or thought processes.

Stimulus

Any event or object that can elicit a response in an organism.

Falsifiable Hypothesis

A hypothesis that can be proven false through evidence; essential for scientific inquiry.

Replication

The repetition of a scientific study to confirm findings or results.

Variable

Any factor that can change or vary in an experiment.

Independent Variable

The variable that is manipulated or controlled in an experiment.

Dependent Variable

The variable that is measured in an experiment to assess the effect of the independent variable.

Functional Variable

A variable that is relevant to the behavior being measured or studied.

Correlation

A mutual relationship or connection between two or more things.

Direct-Observation Measures

Assessment methods that involve observing behavior as it occurs.

Self-Report Measures

Assessment methods that involve individuals reporting their own behaviors or feelings.

Behavioral Definition

A precise and objective description of a behavior, important for clarity and measurement.

Social Validity

The acceptance and importance of the goals, procedures, and outcomes of behavior analysis.

IOA (Inter-Observer Agreement)

A measure of reliability that assesses the degree to which different observers report the same observed behaviors.

Outcome Recording

Measuring the frequency or rate of behavior as it occurs in natural settings.

Event Recording

Counting every time a specific behavior occurs.

Whole-Interval Recording

Recording whether a behavior occurs during the entire interval.

Partial-Interval Recording

Recording whether a behavior occurs at any point during the interval.

Duration Recording

Measuring how long a specific behavior occurs.

Group-Experimental Designs

Research designs that assess the effects of independent variables on groups of subjects.

Single-Subject Experimental Designs

Research designs that assess the effects of independent variables on individual subjects.

Internal Validity

The degree to which an experiment accurately shows a causal relationship.

Confound

An extraneous variable that can invalidate the results of an experiment.

Comparison (AB) Design

A basic experimental design comparing a baseline phase (A) with a treatment phase (B).

Reversal (ABA) Design

An experimental design that involves measuring behavior before treatment, during treatment, and after treatment.

Alternating-Treatments Design

A design that compares the effects of two or more treatments by alternating them across sessions.

Multiple-Baseline Design

A design where multiple subjects are observed before and after treatment with staggered start times.

Visual Analysis of Time-Series Data

Assessing graphs of data to determine patterns, trends, or changes over time.

Habituation

A decrease in response to a stimulus after repeated presentations.

Phylogenetically Selected Behaviors

Behaviors that have developed through evolutionary processes.

Delay-Reduction Ratio

A metric to calculate how quickly Pavlovian learning occurs based on the timing of the unconditioned stimulus.

Blocking Experiment

A study demonstrating that a previously established association can prevent the learning of a second association.

Generalization

The transfer of learned responses to similar stimuli.

Spontaneous Extinction

The re-emergence of a conditioned response after a break in exposure.

Graduated Exposure Therapy

A therapeutic technique that involves gradual exposure to a feared stimulus.

Taste-Aversion Learning

A specific form of learning where an organism associates the taste of a certain food with symptoms caused by a toxic, spoiled, or poisonous substance.

John Watson

A psychologist who established the psychological school of behaviorism and contributed to the understanding of Pavlovian learning.