SPCE 609 ANALYZED AND
SIMPLIFIED SUMMARY
Behavior analysis goals
1. Useful to accurately predict behavior (our own and others)
2. Useful to understand behavior so well that we could
positively influence actions contributing to that solution.
Page 47
Independent variable
A publicly observable change, controlled by the experimenter,
which is anticipated to influence behavior in a specific way.
The thing the researcher believes will change behavior if it is
manipulated.
Page 47
The "jury" in behavioral science
Composed of other scientists who skeptically evaluate the
researcher's claim that the independent variable changed
behavior.
Page 48
,Two approaches discussed by our book to conduct behavioral
experiments
Group design and single subject design
Page 48
Group design vs. single subject in behavior analysis
Group design is the norm in social and behavioral sciences.
However, they are less often used by behavior analysts. Single
subject designs keep the focus on the behavior of the individual
(the single subject) and they are transparent about presenting
all the data to the jury. Group design lumps all the data
together (individual data are rarely shown) and ask the
computer to decide if behavior changed. Single subject designs
transparently show what happened to the behavior of each
individual. Makes it easier for jury to decide if they find the
behavior change compelling or not.
Page 48
Group Experimental Designs
evaluate if the behavior of a treatment group (independent
variable ON) is statistically significantly different from that of a
control group (independent variable OFF). If so, then the
difference is attributed to the independent variable
Page 49
,Example of group experimental design
Dallery et al. (2017) evaluated the efficacy of an online stop-
smoking program by randomly assigning 94 cigarette smokers to
either a treatment group or a control group.
At the end of the intervention phase, frequency of smoking in
the treatment group was lower than in the control group (40%
of the treatment group stopped smoking and only 13% of the
control group quit)
Page 49
Four weaknesses of group experimental designs
1. When the independent variable is therapeutic intervention,
no one wants to be assigned to the control group.
2. Focusing on the behavior of the group means we are not
studying the behavior of the individual.
3. The behavior of the treatment and control groups will differ
simply because the people (or nonhuman animals) assigned to
the two groups are different.
4. Their reliance on inferential statistics to evaluate the
independent variable changes behavior.
Page 49-50
single-subject experimental design
expose individuals to baseline (independent variable OFF) and
experimental (independent variable ON) phases to determine if
, the independent variable systematically and reliably changes
behavior.
Page 51
Internal validity
When an experiment provides clear evidence that a functional
relation exists between the independent variable and behavior
change.
Page 51
Confounds
variables that influence behavior within an experiment, but are
not controlled by the researcher
Page 52
four types of single-subject experimental designs
comparison (A-B design)
reversal (A-B-A design)
alternating-treatments design
multiple-baseline design
Page 52-61
Comparison (A-B) Design
SIMPLIFIED SUMMARY
Behavior analysis goals
1. Useful to accurately predict behavior (our own and others)
2. Useful to understand behavior so well that we could
positively influence actions contributing to that solution.
Page 47
Independent variable
A publicly observable change, controlled by the experimenter,
which is anticipated to influence behavior in a specific way.
The thing the researcher believes will change behavior if it is
manipulated.
Page 47
The "jury" in behavioral science
Composed of other scientists who skeptically evaluate the
researcher's claim that the independent variable changed
behavior.
Page 48
,Two approaches discussed by our book to conduct behavioral
experiments
Group design and single subject design
Page 48
Group design vs. single subject in behavior analysis
Group design is the norm in social and behavioral sciences.
However, they are less often used by behavior analysts. Single
subject designs keep the focus on the behavior of the individual
(the single subject) and they are transparent about presenting
all the data to the jury. Group design lumps all the data
together (individual data are rarely shown) and ask the
computer to decide if behavior changed. Single subject designs
transparently show what happened to the behavior of each
individual. Makes it easier for jury to decide if they find the
behavior change compelling or not.
Page 48
Group Experimental Designs
evaluate if the behavior of a treatment group (independent
variable ON) is statistically significantly different from that of a
control group (independent variable OFF). If so, then the
difference is attributed to the independent variable
Page 49
,Example of group experimental design
Dallery et al. (2017) evaluated the efficacy of an online stop-
smoking program by randomly assigning 94 cigarette smokers to
either a treatment group or a control group.
At the end of the intervention phase, frequency of smoking in
the treatment group was lower than in the control group (40%
of the treatment group stopped smoking and only 13% of the
control group quit)
Page 49
Four weaknesses of group experimental designs
1. When the independent variable is therapeutic intervention,
no one wants to be assigned to the control group.
2. Focusing on the behavior of the group means we are not
studying the behavior of the individual.
3. The behavior of the treatment and control groups will differ
simply because the people (or nonhuman animals) assigned to
the two groups are different.
4. Their reliance on inferential statistics to evaluate the
independent variable changes behavior.
Page 49-50
single-subject experimental design
expose individuals to baseline (independent variable OFF) and
experimental (independent variable ON) phases to determine if
, the independent variable systematically and reliably changes
behavior.
Page 51
Internal validity
When an experiment provides clear evidence that a functional
relation exists between the independent variable and behavior
change.
Page 51
Confounds
variables that influence behavior within an experiment, but are
not controlled by the researcher
Page 52
four types of single-subject experimental designs
comparison (A-B design)
reversal (A-B-A design)
alternating-treatments design
multiple-baseline design
Page 52-61
Comparison (A-B) Design
