PSY 7713 ADVANCED BEHAVIORAL
RESEARCH METHODS - WEEK 8
COMPREHENSIVE QUIZ | QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS |2026/2027 UPDATE |
JUST RELEASED. CAPELLA
UNIVERSITY
1. Which of the following best describes the primary goal of meta-analysis in behavioral
research?
A. To identify the specific variables that caused behavior change in a single participant.
B. To statistically combine the results of multiple independent studies to determine the
overall effect size of an intervention.
C. To establish a functional relation between an independent variable and a dependent
variable in a withdrawal design.
D. To qualitatively describe the subjective experience of participants undergoing
behavioral treatment.
Answer: B
Conceptual Explanation: Meta-analysis is a quantitative technique used to synthesize
findings across multiple studies, allowing researchers to calculate an overall effect size and
assess the consistency of an intervention’s impact.
,2. In the context of social validity, what does the ‘social importance of the effects’ refer to?
A. The extent to which the target behavior is considered socially significant by society.
B. The degree to which the procedures used are acceptable to the participants.
C. The magnitude of the change in the dependent variable and its impact on the consumer’s
life.
D. The reliability of the data collection system used by the observers.
Answer: C
Conceptual Explanation: Wolf (1978) categorized social validity into three levels: the
significance of the goals, the appropriateness of the procedures, and the social importance
of the effects (the actual outcomes).
3. A researcher is comparing group design and single-case design (SCD). Which of the
following is a limitation of group designs regarding clinical practice in ABA?
A. Group designs are inherently more prone to observer drift than single-case designs.
B. Group designs require too many baseline data points for a single participant.
C. Group designs focus on average performance, which may mask individual variability and
treatment response.
D. Group designs cannot demonstrate a functional relation between variables.
Answer: C
, Conceptual Explanation: Group designs often rely on mean scores, which can obscure
individual differences. In ABA, the focus is on the individual, making SCD often more
relevant for clinical decision-making.
4. Which measure of effect size for single-case research involves calculating the percentage of
data points in the treatment phase that exceed the highest data point in the baseline phase?
A. Tau-U
B. Cohen’s d
C. Improvement Rate Difference (IRD)
D. Percentage of Non-overlapping Data (PND)
Answer: D
Conceptual Explanation: PND is a common non-parametric effect size calculation in SCD
that identifies the proportion of treatment data points that do not overlap with the baseline
range.
5. When evaluating the external validity of a single-case study, what is the most critical
factor?
A. Random assignment of participants to conditions.
B. The use of a large, representative sample size.
C. Ensuring the p-value is less than .05.
D. Replication of the effect across different participants, settings, or behaviors.
RESEARCH METHODS - WEEK 8
COMPREHENSIVE QUIZ | QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS |2026/2027 UPDATE |
JUST RELEASED. CAPELLA
UNIVERSITY
1. Which of the following best describes the primary goal of meta-analysis in behavioral
research?
A. To identify the specific variables that caused behavior change in a single participant.
B. To statistically combine the results of multiple independent studies to determine the
overall effect size of an intervention.
C. To establish a functional relation between an independent variable and a dependent
variable in a withdrawal design.
D. To qualitatively describe the subjective experience of participants undergoing
behavioral treatment.
Answer: B
Conceptual Explanation: Meta-analysis is a quantitative technique used to synthesize
findings across multiple studies, allowing researchers to calculate an overall effect size and
assess the consistency of an intervention’s impact.
,2. In the context of social validity, what does the ‘social importance of the effects’ refer to?
A. The extent to which the target behavior is considered socially significant by society.
B. The degree to which the procedures used are acceptable to the participants.
C. The magnitude of the change in the dependent variable and its impact on the consumer’s
life.
D. The reliability of the data collection system used by the observers.
Answer: C
Conceptual Explanation: Wolf (1978) categorized social validity into three levels: the
significance of the goals, the appropriateness of the procedures, and the social importance
of the effects (the actual outcomes).
3. A researcher is comparing group design and single-case design (SCD). Which of the
following is a limitation of group designs regarding clinical practice in ABA?
A. Group designs are inherently more prone to observer drift than single-case designs.
B. Group designs require too many baseline data points for a single participant.
C. Group designs focus on average performance, which may mask individual variability and
treatment response.
D. Group designs cannot demonstrate a functional relation between variables.
Answer: C
, Conceptual Explanation: Group designs often rely on mean scores, which can obscure
individual differences. In ABA, the focus is on the individual, making SCD often more
relevant for clinical decision-making.
4. Which measure of effect size for single-case research involves calculating the percentage of
data points in the treatment phase that exceed the highest data point in the baseline phase?
A. Tau-U
B. Cohen’s d
C. Improvement Rate Difference (IRD)
D. Percentage of Non-overlapping Data (PND)
Answer: D
Conceptual Explanation: PND is a common non-parametric effect size calculation in SCD
that identifies the proportion of treatment data points that do not overlap with the baseline
range.
5. When evaluating the external validity of a single-case study, what is the most critical
factor?
A. Random assignment of participants to conditions.
B. The use of a large, representative sample size.
C. Ensuring the p-value is less than .05.
D. Replication of the effect across different participants, settings, or behaviors.
