SPCE 609 Quiz 2 with correct answers
(latest update)
Behavior analysis goals - ANS ✔✔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 - ANS ✔✔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 - ANS ✔✔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 - ANS ✔✔Group
design and single subject design
Page 48
,Group design vs. single subject in behavior analysis - ANS ✔✔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 - ANS ✔✔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 - ANS ✔✔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 - ANS ✔✔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 - ANS ✔✔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 - ANS ✔✔When an experiment provides clear evidence that a functional
relation exists between the independent variable and behavior change.
Page 51
Confounds - ANS ✔✔variables that influence behavior within an experiment, but are not
controlled by the researcher
Page 52
four types of single-subject experimental designs - ANS ✔✔comparison (A-B design)
reversal (A-B-A design)
alternating-treatments design
multiple-baseline design
Page 52-61
(latest update)
Behavior analysis goals - ANS ✔✔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 - ANS ✔✔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 - ANS ✔✔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 - ANS ✔✔Group
design and single subject design
Page 48
,Group design vs. single subject in behavior analysis - ANS ✔✔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 - ANS ✔✔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 - ANS ✔✔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 - ANS ✔✔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 - ANS ✔✔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 - ANS ✔✔When an experiment provides clear evidence that a functional
relation exists between the independent variable and behavior change.
Page 51
Confounds - ANS ✔✔variables that influence behavior within an experiment, but are not
controlled by the researcher
Page 52
four types of single-subject experimental designs - ANS ✔✔comparison (A-B design)
reversal (A-B-A design)
alternating-treatments design
multiple-baseline design
Page 52-61
