Textbook Chapter 2 (65-84)

• assessing reliability
  • interobserver reliability
• research designs
  • descriptive research: describing the behavior and the situation where it occurs
  • naturalistic observation: systematic observation and recording of behavior in its natural environment
    • commonly used approach in ethology (zoology)
    • ideal for studying inherited behavior
    • cannot intervene or ask clarifying questions
  • case studies: intense examination of 1 or a few individuals
    • prevalent in medical settings
  • experimental research: allows for cause and effect relationships
  • 1+ independent variables are varied to determine their effect on a dependent variable
  • control group designs: individuals are randomly assigned to either an experimental or a control group
    • comparative design: different species constitute one of the independent variables
    • limitations:
    • requires a large number of subjects
    • focus on average performance of subjects
    • results only analyzed at end of experiment
  • single-subject designs: require 1 or a few subjects
    • simple comparison design: behavior in a baseline condition that is compared to behavior in a treatment condition
    • self-punishment procedure: people apply an aversive consequence to themselves each time they engage in an unwanted target behavior (b phase)
    • baseline: normal frequency of the behavior that occurs before some intervention (a phase)
    • reversal design: involves repeated alternations between a baseline period and a treatment period
    • multiple-baseline design: treatment is instituted at successive points in time for 2+ persons, settings, or behaviors
    • changing criterion design: effect of the treatment is demonstrated by how closely the behavior matches a criterion that is being systematically altered

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