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Chapter 7: Analyzing Behavior Change
Sandy McPadden
24
Psychology
Graduate
10/26/2015

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Term
Experimental Control
Definition
Two meanings: (a) the outcome of an experiment that demonstrates convincingly a functional relations, meaning that experimental control is achieved when a predictable change in behavior (the dependent variable_ can be reliably produced by manipulating a specific aspect of the environment (the independent variable); and (b) the extent to which a researcher maintains precise control of the independent variable by presenting it, with drawing it, and/or varying its value, and also by eliminating or holding constant all confounding and extraneous variables.
Term
A-B Design
Definition
a two phase experimental design consisting of a pre-treatment baseline condition (A) followed by a treatment condition (B).
Term
Ascending Baseline
Definition
a data path that shows and increasing trend in the response measure over time.
Term
Baseline
Definition
original date that serves against any observed changes in behavior when the independent variable is applied and is compared
Term
Baseline Logic
Definition
a term sometimes used to refer to the experimental reasoning inherent in single subject experimental designs; entails three elements: prediction, verification, and replication.
Term
Confounding Variable
Definition
An uncontrolled factor known or suspected to exert influence on the dependent variable.
Term
Dependent Variable
Definition
the variable in an experiment measured to determine if it changes as a result of manipulations of the independent variable; in applied behavior analysis, it represents some measure of a socially significant behavior.
Term
Descending Baseline
Definition
a data path that shows a decreasing trend in the response measure over time.
Term
Experimental Design
Definition
refers to the particular arrangement of conditions in a study so that meaningful comparisons of the effects for the presence, absence, or different values of the independent variable can be made
Term
Experimental Question
Definition
A statement of what the researcher seeks to learn by conducting the experiment; may be presented in question form and is most often found in a published account as a statement of the experiments purpose. All aspects of an experiments design should follow from the experimental question.
Term
External Validity
Definition
The degree to which a study's findings have generality to other subjects, settings, and/or behaviors.
Term
Extraneous Variable
Definition
Any aspect of the experimental setting that must be held constant to prevent unplanned environmental variation.
Term
Independent Variable
Definition
The variable that is systematically manipulated by the researcher in an experiment to see whether changes in the independent variable produce reliable changes in the dependent variable. In ABA, it is usually an environmental event or condition antecedent or consequent to the dependent variable.
Term
Internal Validity
Definition
The extent to which an experiment shows convincingly that changes in behavior are a function of the independent variable and not the result of uncontrolled or unknown variables.
Term
Parametric Analysis
Definition
An experiment designed to discover the differential effects of a range of values of an independent variable.
Term
Practice Effects
Definition
Improvements in performance resulting from opportunities to perform a behavior repeatedly so that baseline measures can be obtained.
Term
Prediction
Definition
A statement of the anticipated outcome of a presently unknown or future measurement; one of three components of the experimental reasoning, or baseline logic, used in single-subject research designs.
Term
Replication
Definition
a) Repeating conditions within an experiment to determine the reliability of the effects and increase internal validity.
Term
Single-Subject Designs
Definition
A wide variety of research designs that use a form of experimental reasoning called baseline logic to demonstrate the effects of the independent variable on the behavior of individual subjects.
Term
Stable Baseline
Definition
Data that show no evidence of an upward or downward trend; all of the measures fall within a relatively small range of values.
Term
Steady State Responding
Definition
A pattern of responding that exhibits relatively little variation in its measured dimensional quantities over a period of time.
Term
Steady State Strategy
Definition
Repeatedly exposing a subject to a given condition while trying to eliminate or control extraneous influences on the behavior and obtaining a stable pattern of responding before introducing the next condition.
Term
Variable Baseline
Definition
Data points that do not consistently fall within a narrow range of values and do not suggest any clear trend.
Term
Verification
Definition
One of three components of the experimental reasoning, or baseline logic, used in single-subject research designed. accomplished by demonstrating that the prior level of baseline responding would have remained unchanged had the independent variable not been introduced. Achieving this for the original prediction reduces the probability that some uncontrolled (confounding) variable was responsible for the observed change in behavior.
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