Chapter 7: Analyzing Behavior Change: Basic Assumptions and Strategies Cooper, Heron, and Heward Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition

Concepts & Assumptions Underlying the Analysis of Behavior Determinism Empiricism Experimentation Parsimony Philosophic doubt Cooper, Heron, and Heward Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition

Concepts & Assumptions Underlying the Analysis of Behavior “The overall goal of science is to achieve an understanding of the phenomena under study” In applied behavior analysis – the phenomena of interest is socially significant behavior Cooper, Heron, and Heward Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition

Concepts & Assumptions Underlying the Analysis of Behavior Science enables various degrees of understanding at three levels Description Prediction Control Cooper, Heron, and Heward Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition

Experimental Control: The Path to and Goal of Behavior Analysis Experimental control (defined) A predictable change in behavior (dependent variable) can be reliably produced by the systematic manipulation of some aspect of the person’s environment (independent variable) Cooper, Heron, and Heward Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition

Experimental Control: The Path to and Goal of Behavior Analysis Experimental analysis (defined) Experimentally determining the effects of environmental manipulation on behavior and demonstrating that those effects can be reliably produced Can be achieved when A reliable functional relation between behavior and some specified aspect of the environment has been demonstrated convincingly Cooper, Heron, and Heward Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition

Experimental Control: The Path to and Goal of Behavior Analysis Internal validity The extent to which an experiment shows convincingly that changes in behavior are a function of the independent variable and not the result of uncontrolled or unknown variables Studies without high a high degree of internal validity Yield no meaningful statements about functional relations Lack generality Cooper, Heron, and Heward Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition

Experimental Control: The Path to and Goal of Behavior Analysis Confounding variables are those variables known or suspected to exert an uncontrolled influence on the dependent variable The effects of confounding variables must be evaluated and eliminated to demonstrate experimental control Cooper, Heron, and Heward Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition

Experimental Control: The Path to and Goal of Behavior Analysis “ the goal of experimental design is to eliminate as many uncontrolled variables as possible and to hold constant the influence of all other variables except the independent variable, which is purposefully manipulated to determine its effects” Cooper, Heron, and Heward Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition

Behavior Defining Features and Assumptions that Guide Its Analysis Behavior is an individual phenomenon Behavior is a continuous phenomenon Assumptions Behavior is determined Behavioral variability is extrinsic to the organism Cooper, Heron, and Heward Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition

Behavior Defining Features and Assumptions that Guide Its Analysis Behavior is an individual phenomenon Behavior a person’s interaction with the environment Groups of people do not behave Experimental strategy of ABA is based on within-subject (single-subject) methods of analysis Cooper, Heron, and Heward Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition

Behavior Defining Features and Assumptions that Guide Its Analysis Behavior is a dynamic, continuous phenomenon Changes over time Requires continuous measurement over time Complete record of behavior as it occurs in context Systematic repeated measurement is the “hallmark” of ABA Cooper, Heron, and Heward Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition

Behavior Defining Features and Assumptions that Guide Its Analysis Behavior is determined The occurrence of any event is determined by the functional relations it holds to other events Behavior is a natural phenomenon Cooper, Heron, and Heward Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition

Behavior Defining Features and Assumptions that Guide Its Analysis Behavioral variability is extrinsic to the organism Variability is the result of environmental influence such as, The independent variable under investigation Some uncontrolled aspect of the experiment Uncontrolled or unknown factor outside of the experiment Cooper, Heron, and Heward Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition

Behavioral Variability Most commonly held assumptions in psychology and other social/behavioral sciences The assumption of intrinsic variability An intrinsic characteristic of the organism Distributed randomly among individuals in any given population Methodological implications Attempting to experimentally control or investigate variability is a waste of time By averaging the performance of individual subjects within large groups – the random nature of variability can be statistically controlled or cancelled out Cooper, Heron, and Heward Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition

Behavioral Variability Assumptions of Behavior Analysts Behavioral variability is the result of an environmental influence Methodological implications Experimental manipulations of the factors suspected of causing variability Search for causal factors In practice Applied behavior analysts seek treatment variables robust enough to overcome variability Cooper, Heron, and Heward Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition

Components of Experiments in ABA At least one Subject or participant Behavior (dependent variable) Setting Treatment or intervention condition (independent variable) Cooper, Heron, and Heward Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition

Components of Experiments in ABA (continued) A system for measuring the behavior and ongoing analysis of the data Manipulations of the independent variable so that its effects on the dependent variable, if any, can be detected Experimental design Cooper, Heron, and Heward Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition

Components of Experiments in ABA (continued) Research question “a brief but specific statement of what the researcher wants to learn from conducting the experiment” (Johnston & Pennypacker, 1993b, p.366) What are the effects of the independent variable on the dependent variable for what population & in what setting? Cooper, Heron, and Heward Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition

Components of Experiments in ABA (continued) Subject (s) In single-subject research the subject is employed as his or her own control Measures of the subject’s behavior during each phase of the study provide the basis for comparing experimental variables as they are presented or withdrawn in subsequent conditions Cooper, Heron, and Heward Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition

Components of Experiments in ABA (continued) Behavior (s) Dependent variable (s) Reasons for multiple dependent measures Provide data patterns that can serve as controls for evaluating & replicating the effects of an independent variable Assess the presence and the extent of the independent variable’s effects on behaviors other than the response class to which it was directly applied Determine whether changes in the behavior of a person other than the subject occur during the course of an experiment & if such changes can explain changes in the subject’s behavior Cooper, Heron, and Heward Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition

Components of Experiments in ABA (continued) Setting “Control the environment and you will see order in behavior.” (Skinner, 1967, p. 399) Control two sets of environmental variables to demonstrate experimental control Independent variable Presenting, withdrawing, or varying its value Extraneous variables Prevent unplanned environmental variation Cooper, Heron, and Heward Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition

Measurement System and Ongoing Visual Analysis Observation & recording procedures must be conducted in a standardized manner Standardization involves every aspect of the measurement system Definition of the target behavior to scheduling of observations Behavior analysts must develop skills in the detection of changes in the level, trend, and degree of variability in behavioral data Cooper, Heron, and Heward Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition

Intervention or Treatment: Independent Variable Independent variable (defined) The particular aspect of the environment that the experimenter manipulates to find out whether the it affects the subject’s behavior The researcher controls or manipulates this variable independent of the subject’s behavior or any other event Cooper, Heron, and Heward Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition

Experimental design Defined The particular arrangement of conditions in a study so that meaningful comparisons of the effects of the presence and absence of the independent variable can be made Cooper, Heron, and Heward Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition

Experimental design Nonparametric study Parametric study Independent variable is either presented or absent during a time period or phase of the study Parametric study The value of the independent variable is manipulated Seeks to discover the differential effects of a range of values Cooper, Heron, and Heward Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition

Fundamental Rule Change only one variable at a time Experimenter can attribute any measured changes to a specific independent variable If investigating the effects of a “treatment package” Ensure that the entire package is presented or withdrawn each time a manipulation occurs Cooper, Heron, and Heward Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition

Some Additional Rules Do not get locked into textbook “designs” Often require a priori assumptions about the nature of the functional relations one seeks to investigate May be insensitive to unanticipated changes in behavior Select & combine experimental tactics that best fit the research questions Cooper, Heron, and Heward Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition

Steady State Strategy & Baseline Logic “A pattern of responding that exhibits relatively little variation in its measured dimensional quantities over a period of time” (Johnston & Pennypacker, 1993a, p. 199) Provides the basis for baseline logic Cooper, Heron, and Heward Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition

Steady State Strategy & Baseline Logic Repeated exposure of a given subject to a given condition while trying to eliminate or control extraneous influences on behavior & obtaining a stable pattern of responding before introducing the next condition Cooper, Heron, and Heward Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition

Steady State Strategy & Baseline Logic Prediction Verification Replication Cooper, Heron, and Heward Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition

Nature & Function of Baseline Data Serves as a control condition Does not imply the absence of intervention Absence of a specific independent variable Why? To establish a baseline level of responding to use the subject’s performance in the absence of the independent variable as an objective basis for detecting change Cooper, Heron, and Heward Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition

Nature & Function of Baseline Data Applied Benefits of establishing a baseline level of responding To obtain descriptions of antecedent-behavior-consequent correlations for the planning of an effective treatment Valuable guidance in setting initial criteria for reinforcement Baseline data may reveal the behavior targeted for change does not warrant intervention Cooper, Heron, and Heward Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition

Types of Baseline Data Patterns Stable baseline (A) Ascending baseline (B and C) Variable baseline (D) Cooper, Heron, and Heward Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition

Types of Baseline Data Patterns Cooper, Heron, and Heward Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition

(Johnston & Pennypacker, 1980) Prediction “the anticipated outcome of a presently known or future measurement. It is the most elegant use of quantification upon which validation of all scientific and technological activity rests.” (Johnston & Pennypacker, 1980) Cooper, Heron, and Heward Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition

Prediction Prediction Cooper, Heron, and Heward Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition

Affirmation of the consequent Inductive logic “if the independent variable were not applied, the behavior, as indicated by the baseline data path, would not change If-A-then-B statement Cooper, Heron, and Heward Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition

Affirmation of the consequent Cooper, Heron, and Heward Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition

Verification Verification of a previously predicted level of baseline responding by termination or withdrawal of the treatment variable Cooper, Heron, and Heward Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition

Verification Cooper, Heron, and Heward Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition

Replication “Replication is the essence of believability” (Baer, Wolf, & Risley, 1968, p. 95) Replication of the experimental effect accomplished by reintroducing the treatment variable Cooper, Heron, and Heward Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition

Replication Cooper, Heron, and Heward Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition