Chapter 2 Observing and Recording Behavior

True / False 1. A good behavioral definition requires you to make inferences about internal states or motivation of the individual. a. True b. Fals e ANSWER: Fals e 2. In interval recording procedures, the behavior is recorded in consecutive periods of time within the observation period. a. True b. Fals e ANSWER: True 3. Frequency, duration, intensity, and latency are dimensions of behavior that can be measured in a continuous recording procedure. a. True b. Fals e ANSWER: True 4. Reactivity of observation often occurs with self-monitoring, but never when recording is done by an observer. a. True b. Fals e ANSWER: Fals e 5. Interobserver agreement must be 100% to be acceptable. a. True b. Fals e ANSWER: Fals e 6. Recording how long it takes for a person to come up with an answer to a question after the question is asked is an example of a duration measure. a. True b. Fals e ANSWER: Fals e 7. Interobserver agreement involves an observer recording the person’s behavior in another observation period to see if the behavior is the same. a. True b. Fals e ANSWER: Fals e 8. Recording a person’s behavior without the person knowing that recording is taking place, is one way to decrease reactivity. a. True b. Fals e ANSWER: True 9. In time sample recording, the behavior is recorded in consecutive periods of time within the observation period. a. True b. Fals e ANSWER: Fals e 10. Recording how long a person studies is an example of intensity recording. a. True b. Fals e ANSWER: Fals e Multiple Choice 11. In behavior modification, measurement of the target behavior is called: a. a behavioral indicator b. behavioral assessment c. observation d. supervision ANSWER: b 12. The measurement of behavior is important because: a. measurement can determine if treatment is necessary b. measurement can determine the best treatment c. measurement can determine if the treatment is working d. all of these ANSWER: d 13. Which of the following is NOT used in indirect assessment? a. interviews b. questionnaires c. direct observation d. rating scales ANSWER: c 14. Which of the following is NOT used in direct assessment? a. questionnaires b. frequency recording c. time sample recording d. duration recording ANSWER: a 15. A teacher observes and records instances of misbehavior by a student. This is an example of: a. indirect assessment b. direct assessment c. covert observation d. participant recording ANSWER: b 16. Which of the following is NOT a step in developing a behavior recording plan? a. defining the target behaviordefining the target behavior b. applying procedures to change the target behavior c. determining the logistics of recording d. choosing a recording method ANSWER: b 17. A teacher wants to develop a behavior recording plan that she intends to use with one of her students. The teacher’s first step would be: a. deciding who will do the recording b. determining where and when the recording will occur c. defining the target behavior d. choosing a recording method ANSWER: c 18. A behavioral definition: a. is ambiguous b. is subjective c. involves identifying traits d. describes specific behaviors ANSWER: d 19. Julie and Beth independently observe (hear) a child swear, and each records that swearing occurred. This is called: a. independent agreement b. interobserver agreement c. independent observation d. agreement recording ANSWER: b 20. Jerry wants to improve his studying. He observes and records the times when he studies. Observing and recording your own behavior is called: a. private observation b. self-monitoring c. independent recording d. direct recording ANSWER: b 21. Dawn’s parents record her hair pulling behavior for a specific period of time. The time during which Dawn’s parents observe and record her behavior is called the: a. modification period b. monitoring period c. observation period d. viewing period ANSWER: c 22. What is involved in determining the logistics of recording? a. who will do the recording b. when the recording will occur c. where the recording will occur d. all of these ANSWER: d 23. Zach’s behavior of pushing other children typically occurs on the playground. The playground would be a(n) ________________ setting for Zach’s behavior. a. analogue b. manipulate d c. natural d. controlled ANSWER: c 24. Which observation setting will provide the most representative sample of the target behavior? a. analogue setting b. manipulated setting c. natural setting d. controlled setting ANSWER: c 25. Which of the following is NOT an advantage of an analogue setting? a. it is easier to control the situation during observation b. it is easier to manipulate variables that affect behavior c. it provides a more representative sample of the target behavior d. all of these ANSWER: c 26. A psychologist wants to observe the tantrum behavior of a child. The tantrums usually occur in the classroom, but the psychologist does not have access to the classroom so she observes the child in a room that resembles a classroom. This would be an example of a(n) ___________ setting. a. natural b. manufacture d c. analogue d. isolated ANSWER: c 27. Brian’s parents are interested in recording his stuttering behavior. They record each instance in which Brian stutters. This is an example of _____________ recording. a. product b. intervalinterva l c. continuous d. time sample ANSWER: c 28. Which dimensions of behavior is NOT recorded using continuous recording? a. frequency b. duration c. intensity d. time sample ANSWER: d 29. A teacher records each instance of a student swearing in class. The teacher is recording which dimension of behavior? a. latency b. intensity c. frequenc y d. duration ANSWER: c 30. A parent records how loudly her child screams. The parent is recording the ____________ of the screams. a. frequenc y b. duration c. intensity d. latency ANSWER: c 31. Bill keeps track of the amount of time he studies each day. Which dimension of behavior is Bill recording? a. frequenc y b. duration c. intensity d. latency ANSWER: b 32. A track coach records the amount of time it takes a sprinter to start running once the gun has been sounded. The coach is recording the dimension of ____________. a. latency b. frequenc y c. duration d. intensity ANSWER: a 33. A track coach records how long it takes a sprinter to run 100 meters. The track coach is recording what dimension of behavior? a. latency b. frequenc y c. duration d. intensity ANSWER: c 34. A teacher records the number of math homework problems a student has correctly completed in order to determine the student’s performance. The teacher is using ____________ recording. a. continuous b. interval c. product d. time sample ANSWER: c 35. An observer divides an observation period into a number of consecutive time periods, and then records whether the target behavior occurred during each period. This is called: a. product recording b. interval recording c. continuous recording d. time sample recording ANSWER: b 36. If an observation period is divided into a number of time periods, and the behavior is recorded during only part of each interval it is called _____________ recording. a. interval b. continuous c. product d. time sample ANSWER: d 37. Which of the following can be used as a recording instrument? a. paper and pencil b. golf stroke counter c. stopwatch d. all of these ANSWER: d 38. Matthew frequently hits other children during class. However, he never hits other kids when he knows the teacher is observing him. This is an example of: a. self-monitoring b. reactivity c. behavior modification d. controlled behavior ANSWER: b 39. What is the minimally acceptable level of interobserver agreement in research? a. 100% b. 90% c. 80% d. 55% ANSWER: c 40. Which method will NOT reduce reactivity of observation? a. observe through a one-way observation window b. tell the person you are observing his/her behavior c. wait until the person you are observing is accustomed to your presence d. use participant observers ANSWER: b Completion Below are the results of interval recording by two observers, A and B. Observer A x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x Observer B 41. What is the percentage of intervals scored by observer A? ______________ ANSWER: 7/10; 70% 42. Based on the previous question’s scenario, what percentage is scored by observer B? _______________ ANSWER: 8/10; 80% 43. Calculate interobserver agreement for the interval recording of observer A and B. ___________ ANSWER: 7/7+3=70%; 70% 44. Assessment that relies on information from interviews and questionnaires is called _________________________ assessment. ANSWER: indirec t 45. Merlin counted the number of times that he picked his nose each day. What dimension of behavior was he recording? _____________________________ ANSWER: frequenc y 46. What is it called when two observers record the same behavior of the same person during the same time period and compare the results of their recording? _________________________ ANSWER: interobserver agreement; IOA 47. Perry’s watch beeped every 5 minutes and he recorded whether he was slouched over (bad posture) at the time the watch beeped. This is an example of ___________________ recording. ANSWER: time sample 48. Bernie recorded how long he studied each day. What dimension of behavior was he recording? ____________________________ ANSWER: duratio n 49. Sherry had throat surgery and could not talk for days. She worked with a speech therapist to increase her voice loudness. The therapist used an instrument to measure increases in the loudness of her voice. What dimension of behavior was the speech therapist recording? __________________________ ANSWER: intensity 50. Recording behavior in brief observation intervals each separated by longer periods of time is called ___________________________ recording. ANSWER: time sample Subjective Short Answer 51. What are two ways to reduce reactivity of observation? ANSWERTwo ways to reduce reactivity are to wait until the individuals who are being observed : become accustomed to the observer, or to have the observer record the behavior without the individuals knowing that they are being observed. 52. Identify two of the reasons why behavioral assessment is an important part of behavior modification. ANSWERBehavioral assessment is an important part of behavior modification because it : provides information that can help you decide whether treatment is necessary, provides information that helps you choose the best treatment, and measurement of the target behavior during and after treatment will allow you to determine whether the behavior changed following the implementation of treatment. 53. Provide an example of frequency recording, duration recording, and latency recording. ANSWERExamples: Frequency recording: recording the number of head slaps exhibited by a : self-injurious child. Duration recording: recording the amount of time a person engages in physical exercise. Intensity: using a decibel meter to measure the intensity or loudness of someone’s speech. Latency recording: recording how long it takes a child to pick up her toys after the parents ask her to do so. 54. Provide an example of time sample recording and interval recording. ANSWERExamples: Time sample recording: a teacher using time sample recording to measure : the on-task behavior of a child with ADHD might set his watch to beep every five minutes and will record whether or not the child was on task when the watch beeped. Interval recording: an observer may record whether or not an individual engages in aggressive behavior during each 10-minute interval of the observation period. 55. Describe how you would conduct real-time recording. ANSWERReal time recording engages in aggressive behavior during each 10-minute interval of : the observation period. While observing a child’s tantrum behavior, the observer would indicate the exact time each tantrum started and stopped so that information would be available on frequency, duration, and the timing of the behavior in the observation period.