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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