SPCE 611 EXAM 2 STUDY GUIDE
validity - Answers - -yields data that are directly relevant to the phenomenon measured
and to the reason(s) for measuring it
-revolves around the question: was a relevant dimension of the behavior that is the
focus of the investigation measured directly and legitimately?
-direct measure of the actual behavior will always have more validity than an indirect
measure, because a direct measure does not require an inference about its relation to
the behavior of interest, whereas an indirect measure always requires such an
interference
-3 important elements needed to be valid: a. measuring directly a socially significant
target behavior
b. measuring a dimension of the target behavior relevant to the question or concern
about the behavior
c. ensuring that the data are representative of the behaviors occurrence under
conditions and during times that are most relevant to the question or concern about the
behavior
-the validity of behavioral data is threatened when measurement is indirect, when the
wrong dimension of the target behavior is measured, or when measurement is
conducted in such a way that the data it produces are an artifact of the actual event
accuracy - Answers - the extent to which the observed value (the quantitative label
produced by measuring an event) matches the true state it true value of the event as it
exists in nature
-measurement is accurate to the degree that is corresponds to the true value of the
thing measured
-true value: measure obtained by procedures that are independent of and different from
the procedures that produced the data being evaluated and for which the researcher
has taken special or extraordinary precautions to insure that all possible sources of
error have been avoided or removed
measurement bias - Answers - -nonrandom measurement error; error in measurement
that s likely to be in one direction
reliability - Answers - -describes the extent to which a measurement procedure yields
the same value when brought into repeated contact with the same state of nature
-it is a relative concept
-the closet the values obtained by repeated measurement of the same event are to one
another. the greater the reliability
-more variability= less reliability
-poor reliability= problems with accuracy
direct measurement - Answers - -occurs when the phenomenon that is the focus of the
experiment is exactly the same as the phenomenon being measured
-yields more valid data
,indirect measurement - Answers - occurs when what is actually measured is in some
way different from the target behavior of interest
-provides secondhand or filtered information that requires the researcher or practitioner
to make inferences about the relationship between the event that was measured and
the actual behavior of interest
-occurs when the researcher or practitioner measures a proxy, or stand-in, for the actual
behavior or interest
pg 126
-it is incumbent upon the researcher to provide a convincing case for the validity of the
data
artifact - Answers - when data give an unwarranted or misleading picture of the behavior
because of the way measurement was conducted
measurement artifact - Answers - something that appears to exist because of the way it
is measured
continuous measurement - Answers - -measurement conducted in a manner such that
all instances of the response classes of interest are detected during the observation
period
discontinuous measurement - Answers - describes any form of measurement in which
some instances of the response classes of interest may not be detected
-no matter how accurate and reliable, it may yield to data that are an artifact
human error - Answers - -the biggest threat to the accuracy and reliability off data in
applied behavior analysis
poorly designed measurement system - Answers - pg 128
steps for training observes - Answers - pg 129
observer drift - Answers - unintended changes in the way data are collected may
produce measurement error
-usually entails a shift in the observers interpretation of the definition of the target
behavior from that used in training
-occurs when observers expand or compress the original definition of the target
behavior
-can be minimized by occasional observer training or booster sessions throughout the
investigation
observer expectation - Answers - -the target behavior should occur at a certain level
under particular conditions, or change when a change in environment has been made-
causes major threat to accurate measurement
, naive observer - Answers - -trained observer who is unaware of the study's purpose
and/or the experimental conditions in effect during a given phase or observation period
-they receive limited information about the study's purpose and what it is
-should not receive feedback about the extent to which their data confirms or run
counter to hypothesized or treatment goals
observer reactivity - Answers - -measurement error resulting from an observers
awareness that others are evaluating the data he reports
- the behavior of observers can be influenced by the knowledge that other are
evaluating the data
observer reactivity - Answers - pg 130
assessing the accuracy of measurement - Answers - -measurement is accurate when
the observed values match the true values of the event
-the fundamental reason for determining the accuracy of data is obvious: no one wants
to base research conclusion or make treatment decisions on faulty data
-four interrelated purposes for conducting accuracy assortment:
--1. it is important to determine early in an analysis whether the data are good enough
to serve as the basis for making experimental or treatment decisions
--2. accuracy assessments enable the discovery and correction of specific instances of
measurement error
--3. to reveal consistent patterns of measurement error, which can lead to the overall
improvement or calibration of the measurement system
--4. assure consumers that the data are accurate pg 131
true value - Answers - -pg 131
reporting accuracy assessments - Answers - pg 132
assessing the reliability of measurement - Answers - - measurement is reliable when it
yields the same values across repeated measures of the same event
-reliability is established when the same observer measures the same data set
repeatedly from archived response products such as audiovisual products and other
forms of permanent products
-the more frequently a consistent pattern of observation is produced, the more reliable
the measurement
-if similar observed values are not achieved with repeated observations, the data are
considered unreliable
-reliable data are NOT necessarily accurate data
- relying on the reliability of measurement as the basis for determining the accuracy of
measurement as the basis for determining the accuracy of measurement would be, as if
someone were to buy several copies of the morning paper to assure himself that what it
said was true (wittgenstein)
-when confirming the accuracy of each data is not possible or practical, or when the true
values are not available, knowing that a measurement system has been applied with a
validity - Answers - -yields data that are directly relevant to the phenomenon measured
and to the reason(s) for measuring it
-revolves around the question: was a relevant dimension of the behavior that is the
focus of the investigation measured directly and legitimately?
-direct measure of the actual behavior will always have more validity than an indirect
measure, because a direct measure does not require an inference about its relation to
the behavior of interest, whereas an indirect measure always requires such an
interference
-3 important elements needed to be valid: a. measuring directly a socially significant
target behavior
b. measuring a dimension of the target behavior relevant to the question or concern
about the behavior
c. ensuring that the data are representative of the behaviors occurrence under
conditions and during times that are most relevant to the question or concern about the
behavior
-the validity of behavioral data is threatened when measurement is indirect, when the
wrong dimension of the target behavior is measured, or when measurement is
conducted in such a way that the data it produces are an artifact of the actual event
accuracy - Answers - the extent to which the observed value (the quantitative label
produced by measuring an event) matches the true state it true value of the event as it
exists in nature
-measurement is accurate to the degree that is corresponds to the true value of the
thing measured
-true value: measure obtained by procedures that are independent of and different from
the procedures that produced the data being evaluated and for which the researcher
has taken special or extraordinary precautions to insure that all possible sources of
error have been avoided or removed
measurement bias - Answers - -nonrandom measurement error; error in measurement
that s likely to be in one direction
reliability - Answers - -describes the extent to which a measurement procedure yields
the same value when brought into repeated contact with the same state of nature
-it is a relative concept
-the closet the values obtained by repeated measurement of the same event are to one
another. the greater the reliability
-more variability= less reliability
-poor reliability= problems with accuracy
direct measurement - Answers - -occurs when the phenomenon that is the focus of the
experiment is exactly the same as the phenomenon being measured
-yields more valid data
,indirect measurement - Answers - occurs when what is actually measured is in some
way different from the target behavior of interest
-provides secondhand or filtered information that requires the researcher or practitioner
to make inferences about the relationship between the event that was measured and
the actual behavior of interest
-occurs when the researcher or practitioner measures a proxy, or stand-in, for the actual
behavior or interest
pg 126
-it is incumbent upon the researcher to provide a convincing case for the validity of the
data
artifact - Answers - when data give an unwarranted or misleading picture of the behavior
because of the way measurement was conducted
measurement artifact - Answers - something that appears to exist because of the way it
is measured
continuous measurement - Answers - -measurement conducted in a manner such that
all instances of the response classes of interest are detected during the observation
period
discontinuous measurement - Answers - describes any form of measurement in which
some instances of the response classes of interest may not be detected
-no matter how accurate and reliable, it may yield to data that are an artifact
human error - Answers - -the biggest threat to the accuracy and reliability off data in
applied behavior analysis
poorly designed measurement system - Answers - pg 128
steps for training observes - Answers - pg 129
observer drift - Answers - unintended changes in the way data are collected may
produce measurement error
-usually entails a shift in the observers interpretation of the definition of the target
behavior from that used in training
-occurs when observers expand or compress the original definition of the target
behavior
-can be minimized by occasional observer training or booster sessions throughout the
investigation
observer expectation - Answers - -the target behavior should occur at a certain level
under particular conditions, or change when a change in environment has been made-
causes major threat to accurate measurement
, naive observer - Answers - -trained observer who is unaware of the study's purpose
and/or the experimental conditions in effect during a given phase or observation period
-they receive limited information about the study's purpose and what it is
-should not receive feedback about the extent to which their data confirms or run
counter to hypothesized or treatment goals
observer reactivity - Answers - -measurement error resulting from an observers
awareness that others are evaluating the data he reports
- the behavior of observers can be influenced by the knowledge that other are
evaluating the data
observer reactivity - Answers - pg 130
assessing the accuracy of measurement - Answers - -measurement is accurate when
the observed values match the true values of the event
-the fundamental reason for determining the accuracy of data is obvious: no one wants
to base research conclusion or make treatment decisions on faulty data
-four interrelated purposes for conducting accuracy assortment:
--1. it is important to determine early in an analysis whether the data are good enough
to serve as the basis for making experimental or treatment decisions
--2. accuracy assessments enable the discovery and correction of specific instances of
measurement error
--3. to reveal consistent patterns of measurement error, which can lead to the overall
improvement or calibration of the measurement system
--4. assure consumers that the data are accurate pg 131
true value - Answers - -pg 131
reporting accuracy assessments - Answers - pg 132
assessing the reliability of measurement - Answers - - measurement is reliable when it
yields the same values across repeated measures of the same event
-reliability is established when the same observer measures the same data set
repeatedly from archived response products such as audiovisual products and other
forms of permanent products
-the more frequently a consistent pattern of observation is produced, the more reliable
the measurement
-if similar observed values are not achieved with repeated observations, the data are
considered unreliable
-reliable data are NOT necessarily accurate data
- relying on the reliability of measurement as the basis for determining the accuracy of
measurement as the basis for determining the accuracy of measurement would be, as if
someone were to buy several copies of the morning paper to assure himself that what it
said was true (wittgenstein)
-when confirming the accuracy of each data is not possible or practical, or when the true
values are not available, knowing that a measurement system has been applied with a
