Topic 3: Graphing & Research Designs

Question 1

Graph

Answer 1

a visual representation of the occurrence of behavior over time

Question 2

Abscissa

Answer 2

the horizontal axis (x-axis) on a graph, shows the units of time

Question 3

Ordinate

Answer 3

the vertical axis (y-axis) on a graph, shows the level of behavior

Question 4

Baseline

Answer 4

the condition or phase in which no treatment is implemented

Question 5

Research Design

Answer 5

in behavior modification, a research design specifies the timing of the baseline and treatment phases for one or more people in an attempt to demonstrate a functional relationship between the treatment and the behavior

Question 6

Independent Variable

Answer 6

the environmental event that is manipulated to influence the dependent variable

Question 7

Dependent Variable

Answer 7

the target behavior that is measured and that changes when the independent variable is introduced

Question 8

Functional Relationship

Answer 8

a relationship between a behavior and an environmental event in which the occurrence of the behavior is controlled by the occurrence of the environmental event

it is demonstrated in research design by manipulating the environmental event and showing that the behavior changes if and only if the environmental event occurs

Question 9

A-B Design

Answer 9

a research design consisting of a baseline and a treatment phase

the A-B design is not a true experimental design because the treatment condition is not replicated

it is used mostly to document behavior change in clinical practice

Question 10

A-B-A-B Reversal Design

Answer 10

a research design consisting of a baseline and treatment phase followed by withdrawal of treatment (the second baseline) and a second implementation of the treatment

Question 11

Multiple-Baseline-Across-Subjects Design

Answer 11

a research design in which there is a baseline and treatment phase for two or more people exhibiting the same target behavior

the implementation of treatment is staggered across time for each subject

the same treatment is used with each subject

Question 12

Multiple-Baseline-Across-Behaviors Design

Answer 12

a research design in which there is a baseline and a treatment phase for two or more behaviors of the same person

the implementation of treatment is staggered across time for each of the behaviors

the same treatment is implemented for each behavior

Question 13

Multiple-Baseline-Across-Settings Design

Answer 13

a research design in which there is a baseline and treatment phase for the same behavior of the same subject in two or more different settings

treatment is staggered across time in each of the settings

the same treatment is used in each of the settings

Question 14

Alternating-Treatments Designs (ATD)

Answer 14

a research design in which baseline and treatment conditions (or two treatment conditions) are conducted in rapid succession, typically on alternating days or sessions

baseline and treatment phases can be compared with each other within the same time period

Question 15

Changing-Criterion Design

Answer 15

a research design in which a number of different criterion (goals) levels are set for the behavior during the treatment

when the behavior increases (or decreases) to the criterion level each time that the criterion change, a functional relationship is established between the treatment and the target behavior

Question 16

What are the components of a line graph?

Answer 16

1. x-axis and y-axis lines
2. labels for x-axis and y-axis (time vs. target behavior dimension) and units (e.g. days vs. %)
3. numbers on x-axis and y-axis
4. data points and lines connecting them
5. phase lines
6. phase labels (e.g. baseline, treatment, follow-up)

Question 17

What are the dos and don’ts of creating a line graph?

Answer 17

do include client name or initials, behaviors, or settings in research with multiple baseline (place in lower-right corner)

do use a data summary (e.g. table) to go from the raw data in data sheets to a graph

don’t put different target behaviors (or multiple measures of one target behavior) on the same graph

don’t use a legend to indicate phases

don’t use gridlines

don’t add a title

don’t use gray for axes and units, use black

don’t connect baseline phase curve to treatment phase curve

Question 18

What is an independent variable?

Answer 18

the treatment applied to the client

e.g. applying punishment by scolding child

Question 19

What is a dependent variable?

Answer 19

target behavior measure

e.g. child raising voice to call for parent

Question 20

What is a confounding (or extraneous) variable?

Answer 20

another factor that may affect behavior that is not controlled for (avoid this)

e.g. when applying punishment to a child, a parent also pays attention to them

Question 21

What is a functional relationship?

Answer 21

treatment procedure regularly causes a change in the target behavior, requires two criteria:

1. IV-DV relationship: changing IV causes change in DV
2. replication: consistent pattern of results

Question 22

What is an A-B design?

Answer 22

has one baseline phase (A) and one treatment phase (B)

in baseline phase, collect at least three data points that do not show a trend

Question 23

What are the pros and cons of A-B design?

Answer 23

pros: satisfactory for self-management

cons: not a true research design, lacks replications so it cannot ascertain cause and effect

Question 24

What is an A-B-A-B (reversal) design?

Answer 24

has two baseline phases and two treatment phases

examines same behavior, in the same client, in the same setting

can be varied to include more than one kind of treatment

Question 25

What are the pros and cons of the A-B-A-B design?

Answer 25

pros: can establish cause and effect

cons: it may be unethical to withdraw a beneficial intervention, behavior may not revert back in second baseline

Question 26

What are the characteristics of multiple-baseline designs?

Answer 26

baselines may vary in length before treatment begins

intervention phase is staggered across separate designs

can provide evidence that treatment is effective

Question 27

What are multiple baseline across subjects designs?

Answer 27

apply treatment to several different people

Question 28

What are multiple baseline across behaviors designs?

Answer 28

apply treatment to several different target behaviors

Question 29

What are multiple baseline across settings designs?

Answer 29

apply treatment in several different settings

Question 30

What are the pros and cons of multiple-baseline designs?

Answer 30

pros: has no reversals so it’s good for behaviors that do not revert, if behavior change occurs when the B starts in each condition we can conclude it was the result of the intervention

cons: treatment may spread across subjects, behaviors, or settings during supposed baseline phase

Question 31

What are alternating treatments (or multielement) designs?

Answer 31

baseline and treatment (or two treatment) phases are applied in rapid succession

extraneous factors that could affect the results (like time of day, therapist administering the treatment, location of treatment, etc.) can be counterbalanced

treatment effects shown by fractionation: consistent vertical separation between treatment curves

Question 32

What are the pros and cons of alternating treatment designs?

Answer 32

pros: extraneous variables will have less of an effect. evaluates effects of different treatments

cons: treatments may interact with each other

Question 33

What are changing-criterion designs?

Answer 33

criterion for successful treatment progressively changes (usually become more stringent over time)

uses A-B design, but goal for treatment behavior changes in the treatment phase

Question 34

What are the pros and cons of a changing-criterion design?

Answer 34

pros: well-suited to behaviors that can be approximated gradually

cons: unsuitable for behaviors that may not change gradually