Research Methods in Applied Behavior Analysis: Issues and Advances

345 Pages·1986·6.92 MB·English

by  Richard W. Malott (auth.), Alan Poling, R. Wayne Fuqua (eds.)

Research Methods
in Applied
Behavior Analysis
Issues and Advances
APPLIED CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY
Series Editors:
Alan S. Bellack, Medical College of Pennsylvania at EPPL Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
and Michel Hersen, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Current Volumes in this Series
BEHA VIORAL ASSESSMENT AND REHABILITATION OF THE
TRAUMATICALL Y BRAIN DAMAGED
Edited by Barry A. Edelstein and Eugene T. Couture
COGNITIVE BEHAVIOR THERAPY WITH CHILDREN
Edited by Andrew W. Meyers and W. Edward Craighead
HANDBOOK OF BEHAVIORAL GROUP THERAPY
Edited by Dennis Upper and Steven M. Ross
ISSUES IN PSYCHOTHERAPY RESEARCH
Edited by Michel Hersen, Larry Michelson, and Alan S. Bellack
A PRIMER OF HUMAN BEHAVIORAL PHARMACOLOGY
Alan Poling
THE PRIV ATE PRACTICE OF BEHAVIOR THERAPY
Sheldon J. Kaplan
RESEARCH METHODS IN APPLIED BEHAVIOR ANAL YSIS
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Edited by Alan Poling and R. Wayne Fuqua
SEVERE BEHAVIOR DISORDERS IN THE MENT ALLY RETARDED
Nondrug Approaches to Treatment
Edited by Rowland P. Barrett
SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND PSYCHOPATHOLOGY
Edited by Arthur 1. Alterman
TREATING ADDICTIVE BEHAVIORS
Processes of Change
Edited by William R. Miller and Nick H. Heather
A Continuation Order Plan is available for this series. A continuation order will bring delivery
of each new volume immediately upon publication. Volumes are billed only upon actual ship
ment. For further information please contact the publisher.
Research Methods
in Applied
Behavior Analysis
Issues and Advances
Edited by
Alan Poling
and
R. Wayne Fuqua
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo, Michigan
Plenum Press • New York and London
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Research methods in applied behavior analysis.
(Applied clinical psychology)
Includes bibliographies and index.
1. Behavior modification. 2. Psychology, Applied-Methodology. I. Poling, Alan D.
II. Fuqua, R. Wayne. III. Series. [DNLM: 1. Behavior. 2. Research-methods. BF 76.5
R432j
BF637.B4R47 1986 616.89'142 86·4894
ISBN 978-1-4684-8788-6 ISBN 978-1-4684-8786-2 (eBook)
DOl 10.1007/978-1-4684-8786-2
© 1986 Plenum Press, New York
Soffcover reprint of the hardcover 1 st edition 1986
A Division of Plenum Publishing Corporation
233 Spring Street, New York, N.Y. 10013
All rights reserved
No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted
in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, microfilming,
recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the Publisher
Cont ribu tors
Jan Bachman· Department of Psychology, Western Michigan Univer
sity, Kalamazoo, Michigan
Donald M. Baer • Department of Human Development, University of
Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas
Elbert Blakely· Department of Psychology, Western Michigan Uni
versity, Kalamazoo, Michigan
Robert G. Brown, Jr .• Department of Psychology, Western Michigan
University, Kalamazoo, Michigan
James Cleary· Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota,
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Jeffrey Cross· Department of Psychology, Allegheny College, Mead
ville, Pennsylvania
Robert Epstein· Cambridge Center for Behavior Studies, 11 Ware Street,
Cambridge, Massachusetts, Department of Psychology, University
of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts
R. Wayne Fuqua· Department of Psychology, Western Michigan Uni
versity, Kalamazoo, Michigan
Deborah Grossett • Richmond State School, 2100 Preston Avenue, Rich
mond, Texas
Bradley E. Huitema • Department of Psychology, Western Michigan
University, Kalamazoo, Michigan
v
vi CONTRIBUTORS
Brian A. Iwata· Division of Behavioral Psychology, The John F. Ken
nedy Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Bal
timore, Maryland
James M. Johnston· Department of Psychology, Auburn University,
Auburn, Alabama
Richard w. Malott· Department of Psychology, Western Michigan
University, Kalamazoo, Michigan
Nancy A. Neef • Department of Special Education, University of Mary
land, College Park, Maryland
Terry J. Page· Division of Behavioral Psychology, The John F. Kennedy
Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore,
Maryland
Barry S. Parsons on • Department of Psychology, University of Waikato,
Hamilton, New Zealand
H. S. Pennypacker· Department of Psychology, University of Florida,
Gainesville, Florida
Alan Poling· Department of Psychology, Western Michigan Univer
sity, Kalamazoo, Michigan
John Schwade • Murdoch Center, Butner, North Carolina
Preface
The branch of clinical psychology known as behavior modification or,
synonymously, applied behavior analysis, has grown substantially from
humble beginnings in the 1960s. Many colleges and universities now
offer courses in applied behavior analysis, and more than a few grant
degrees in the area. Although they remain controversial, behavior mod
ification procedures have been used to good advantage in dealing with
a range of problem behaviors and are now rather widely employed in
schools, residential institutions, and other therapeutic facilities.
The two hallmarks of applied behavior analysis are utilization of
the principles of operant conditioning to improve human behavior and
utilization of scientific research methodology to assess the effectiveness
of treatments.
The present text provides an overview of several issues peculiar to
applied behavior analysis research methodology. Six general areas of
concern are (a) trends in applied behavior analysis research,
(b) assessment and measurement issues, (c) experimental designs and
strategies, (d) interpretation of findings, (e) ethical issues in applied
behavior analysis, and (f) the societal impact of studies in the area. As
evidenced by a sizable number of recently published articles, these topics
are of considerable interest to behavior analysts. They also are relevant
for students of scientific epistemology and general psychological research
methods.
In selecting chapters for inclusion in Research Methods in Applied
Behavior Analysis, the editors attempted to provide a balanced coverage
of controversial topics. Thus, some authors argue for the use of infer
ential statistics in applied behavior analysis, whereas others criticize the
practice. No attempt is made to present as resolved issues that currently
are being debated, nor to imply a consensus of expert opinion where
none exists. Established behavior analysts speak for themselves in the
selected articles, and they do not inevitably speak with one voice. Most,
however, do appear to agree that applied behavior analysis will remain
vii
viii PREFACE
viable only so long as its practitioners wisely employ the methods of
science to explore and beneficially alter human behavior.
The primary purpose of this text is to summarize scientific research
methods and their applications in applied behavior analysis. If this objec
tive is met, primary credit is due the individual contributors. We editors
are deeply indebted to each of them. We also are grateful to the many
other individuals who in one way or another contributed to the project:
in particular, Alan Bellack, Michel Hersen, Eliot Werner, Leonard Guida,
and Peter Strupp deserve special thanks.
ALAN POLING
R. WAYNE FUQUA
Contents
CHAPTER 1. EXPERIMENTATION IN BEHAVIORAL PSYCHOLOGY: THE
FLIGHT TO THE LABORATORY
Richard w. Malott
Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Darwin......................................... 2
Skinner......................................... 2
Fear of Field Studies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Fear of Utility .................. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Conclusions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
CHAPTER 2. BASIC RESEARCH DESIGNS IN ApPLIED BEHAVIOR
ANALYSIS
Alan Poling and Deborah Crossett
Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Between-Subjects and Within-Subject Designs. . . . . . 7
External Validity and Within-Subject Research. . . . . . 23
Selecting an Experimental Design ................. 25
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 26
CHAPTER 3. PURE VERSUS QUASI-BEHAVIORAL RESEARCH
James M. Johnston and H. S. Pennypacker
Behavior as a Scientific Subject Matter . . . . . . . . . . . .. 29
Pure Behavior Research Methods. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Quasi-Behavioral Research Methods. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Traditions and Practices of Inferential Statistics . . . .. 43
Limitations and Uses of Quasi-Behavioral Research 49
ix
x CONTENTS
Methodological Contingencies .................... 52
References .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 54
CHAPTER 4. THE NATURE AND FUNCTIONS OF EXPERIMENTAL
QUESTIONS
James M. Johnston and H. S. Pennypacker
The Nature of Experimental Questions. . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
The Functions of Experimental Questions. . . . . . . . .. 70
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 83
CHAPTER 5. SOME FACTORS LIMITING THE ApPLICABILITY OF
ApPLIED BEHAVIORAL RESEARCH: DESCRIPTIVE INFOR
MATION IN JABA ARTICLES
R. Wayne Fuqua and Jan Bachman
Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 85
Methods........................................ 88
Results and Discussion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 98
CHAPTER 6. INTEROBSERVER AGREEMENT: HISTORY, THEORY, AND
CURRENT METHODS
Terry J. Page and Brian A. Iwata
Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 99
Historical Perspective ............................ 101
Initial Assessment Techniques. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 105
The Chance Agreement Problem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 112
Basic Considerations in Reporting Agreement . . . . .. 120
Summary and Conclusions .......... . . . . . . . . . . . .. 124
References .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 124
CHAPTER 7. SIMULATION RESEARCH IN THE ANALYSIS OF BEHAVIOR
Robert Epstein
Introduction ...................... : ..._ '.. . . . . . . .. 127
One Hundred Babies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 129
Simulations in the Sciences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 130
"Self-Awareness" in the Pigeon. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 133
The Columban Simulations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 135