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Chapter 2: Research Methods

Chapter 2: Research Methods. Basic Terms Measurement of Behavior Research Designs Animal Use. Basic Terms. Variable A characteristic that can change (vary) over time or from one situation to another Independent variable

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Chapter 2: Research Methods

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  1. Chapter 2:Research Methods Basic Terms Measurement of Behavior Research Designs Animal Use

  2. Basic Terms • Variable • A characteristic that can change (vary) over time or from one situation to another • Independent variable • a characteristic whose values are independent of changes in the values of other variables • Dependent variable • Characteristic that is dependent upon changes in the IV

  3. Basic Terms • Operational definition • An exact description of an event or behavior that would otherwise be ambiguous

  4. Measurement of Behavior Rate of response Cumulative Recorder

  5. Measurement of Behavior Intensity Duration Speed

  6. Measurement of Behavior Latency Interval recording Time sample recording Topography Number of errors

  7. Basic Terms • Stimulus (S) • Any event that can produce a behavior • Response (R) • A behavior elicited by a stimulus

  8. Basic Terms • Overt Behavior • Behavior that can be observed by another individual • Covert Behavior • Behavior that is subjective (can be observed only by person performing behavior)

  9. Basic Terms • Appetitive Stimuli • Stimuli that an individual will seek out • Aversive Stimuli • Stimuli that an individual will avoid

  10. Basic Terms • Deprivation • Prolonged absence of an event, which tends to increase the event’s appeal • Satiation • Prolonged exposure to an event, which tends to decreases the appeal of that event

  11. Basic Terms • Contiguity • Temporal continuity: closeness of two events in time • Spatial continuity: closeness of two events in space • Contingency • A predicted relationship between two events

  12. http://travel.3yen.com/wp-content/images/714px-japanese_macaque.jpghttp://travel.3yen.com/wp-content/images/714px-japanese_macaque.jpg Research Design • Descriptive Research • Recording detailed observations about a behavior, and the situation that it occurs in • Naturalistic Observation • Recording of behavior in its natural environment • Case Studies • Intensive examination of one or a few individuals http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/freud/images/vc009108.jpg

  13. Research Design • Experimental Research • One or more independent variables manipulated in order to show a cause-and-effect relationship between the variable and the behavior of interest • Control Group Designs • Experiment in which subjects are randomly assigned to a control group or an experimental group Experimental Design Group 1 Food Group 2 No food

  14. Research Design • Experimental Research • Control Group Designs • Advantages: • Good for showing cause-and-effect relationships • Disadvantages: • Requires a large number of subjects • Data sometimes analyzed only at end of experiment • Ignores individual results (which might be important)

  15. Six experimental conditions (groups of subjects) in a 2 × 3 factorial experiment involving two levels of a “food” variable and three levels of an “age” variable.

  16. Research Design • Experimental Research • Single-Subject Designs

  17. Simple Comparison (AB) Design

  18. Reversal (ABAB) Design

  19. Two-Treatment Reversal (ABCAC) Design

  20. Problem: Reversal (ABAB) Design

  21. Multiple Baseline Design

  22. Changing Criterion Design

  23. Use of Animals in Behavioral Research • Arguments For: • Genetic and learning history can be controlled • Experimental conditions can be more strictly controlled • Some research cannot be ethically conducted in humans • Arguments Against: • Animals subjects not human, so results may not be applicable to humans • Unethical for animals too

  24. Research Ethics • Federal guidelines: The “Common Rule” • Professional societies recommendations (APA, Society for Neuroscience) • Institutional review boards • IACUC • Journals

  25. Animal Ethical Guidelines • Clear purpose and necessity • Excellent housing, food and health care • Minimal pain and suffering

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