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