Deck 9: Behavioral Variability

Question 1

Variation in features of responding within a single response class as well as variations in the summary measures of that class is referred to as:

A) behavioral variability
B) intrinsic variability
C) extrinsic variability
D) intersubject variability

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Researchers and practitioners examine behavioral variability using all of the following approaches, except:

A) looking at the distribution of individual responses over time and across various stimulus conditions
B) summarizing measures of responding across individual sessions
C) comparing simultaneous but independent observations from two or more observers
D) summarizing the responding that occurs during each session into a single value

Answer 2

C

Question 3

When examining behavioral variability, the greatest detail can be found by:

A) summarizing measures of responding across individual sessions
B) summarizing the responding that occurs during each session into a single value
C) comparing simultaneous but independent observations from two or more observers
D) looking at the distribution of individual responses over time during an observation period

Answer 3

D

Question 4

What does it mean to propose that variability in behavior is intrinsic?

A) Variability is describable, explainable and predictable
B) Variability in behavior is a result of biological and environmental influences
C) Variability is inherent in organisms and cannot be influenced by environmental factors
D) Variability is a description of covert behaviors and events

Question 5

What are the methodological consequences of assuming that behavioral variability is extrinsic?

A) It may encourage investigators to focus on private events of participants to understand variability
B) Investigators may sacrifice experimental control for the sake of accommodating large variability
C) It requires the investigator to focus throughout the study or clinical treatment on specific features of the relations between behavior of the individual and the environment
D) It may encourage the investigator to conduct fewer behavioral observations since the variability is an unavoidable aspect of the behavior

Question 6

What are the three general functions served by behavioral variability?

A) Guides experimental/clinical decisions; provides foundation for interpretations; motivates investigator curiosities
B) Motivates investigator curiosities; guides experimental/clinical decisions; brings the investigator's behavior under control of the subject matter
C) Guides experimental/clinical decisions; provides foundation for interpretations; brings the investigator's behavior under control of the subject matter
D) Provides foundation for interpretations; motivates investigator curiosities; brings the investigator's behavior under control of the subject matter

Question 7

One tactic for dealing with variability is to reduce variability by isolating and controlling extraneous factors in the environment. What is the second?

A) Producing variability in responding by manipulating independent variables
B) Decreasing variability in responding by altering the dependent variable
C) Using a between groups experimental design
D) Limiting the opportunity for variability in the data by only using absolute units

Question 8

While eliminating extraneous variables to help manage behavioral variability has many advantages, it can also be problematic. All of the following are disadvantages associated with this tactic, except:

A) it creates an artificial condition that may not be representative of the real environment
B) it limits the possibility of serendipitous discoveries
C) it can cause difficulties in attempting to make any generalizations
D) it is so difficult to do that the investigator's time is often better spent on other issues

Question 9

What are three kinds of biological influences on variability in behavior?

A) Developmental processes, intelligence, and environmental effects on body functions
B) Intelligence, cyclic physiological processes, and developmental processes
C) Cyclic physiological processes, developmental processes, and environmental effects on body functions
D) Environmental effects on body functions, cyclic physiological processes, and intelligence

Question 10

Bobby has trouble sitting still in class, and a behavior consultant works with a teacher to implement a clinical program in which she praises Bobby when staying in his seat. Bobby's sitting behavior increases, and the teacher concludes to the behavior consultant that her praise was responsible for the change. The teacher does not realize that Bobby has started taking medication that causes fatigue. In this example, the medication is serving as:

A) the dependent variable
B) the independent variable
C) an extraneous variable
D) the response class

Question 11

An experiment that compares two different groups of subjects, one of which experiences the independent variable and the other of which does not experience the independent variable is a ______ design:

A) within-subject
B) single-subject
C) reversal
D) between-groups

Question 12

What is the problem for the study of behavior with using data from groups of subjects who are exposed to either the control or experimental condition alone?

A) It increases the likelihood that the group will behave in ways not anticipated by the researcher
B) There is an increased risk of having sequence effects alter responding
C) It leads to data that mixes behavioral variability with intersubject variability
D) There is no problem in using this form of experimental design

Question 13

The only source of variability whose impact is intentional is the ______.

A) independent variable
B) dimensional quantity
C) organism
D) extraneous variable

Question 14

The phrase ______ refers to how researchers arrange comparisons between control and experimental conditions so as to permit inferences about any effects independent variables may have on responding.

A) between-group design
B) within-subject design
C) experimental design
D) sequence effect

Question 15

A(n) ______ is an effect of a participant's behavior resulting from exposure to a prior condition.

A) reversal effect
B) episode
C) sequence effect
D) response product

Question 16

The traditional assumption is that variability is ______ to the nature of organisms.

A) intrinsic
B) extrinsic
C) external
D) internal

Question 17

Controlling extraneous factors to reduce behavioral variability is necessary in order to be sure that any change in responding during a particular phase is due only to the ______.

A) extraneous variable
B) independent variable
C) dependent variable
D) inherent variable

Question 18

In the most general sense, ______ is the subject matter of all sciences.

A) inquiry
B) knowledge
C) variability
D) creativity

Question 19

______ is a method of arranging comparisons between control and experimental (or treatment) conditions in which different groups of subjects are exposed to control and experimental conditions so that the data represent the combined performance of individual participants who have experienced only one of the conditions.

A) Between-phases design
B) Between-groups design
C) Within-phases design
D) Within-groups design

Question 20

________ variability refers to the differences in responding between participants.

A) Intrasubject
B) Intraparticipant
C) Intersubject
D) Outerparticipant

Question 21

What is behavioral variability? Describe how variability can occur with a clinical example.

Question 22

Describe what this statement means "In a general sense, variability is the subject matter of all sciences."

Question 23

What are the methodological consequences of assuming that behavioral variability is intrinsic?

Question 24

What are the methodological consequences of assuming that behavioral variability is extrinsic?

Question 25

List the four basic components of the argument for why behavioral researchers should be sure that their data represent only behavior.

Question 26

What is the problem for the study of behavior with using data from groups of subjects who are exposed to either the control condition or the experimental/treatment condition alone?

Question 27

What are the three levels of summarization in behavioral variability?

Question 28

What are the three basic functions that variability serves for an investigator?

Question 29

Why might it be useful for a researcher or practitioner to increase variability?

Question 30

What are the two general tactics for handling extraneous factors? What are the pros and cons of each?

Question 31

Describe three different sources of behavioral variability.

Question 32

Why do individuals tend to attribute the causes of behavior to events inside the organism?

Question 33

What are the two tactics that investigators use to deal with variability?

Question 34

Distinguish between independent and extraneous variables.

Question 35

Describe how a response class definition can affect behavioral variability.

Question 36

What is a sequence effect? Provide an original example of one.

Question 37

What is one way to separate sequence effects from treatment effects?

Question 38

Why is it important to understand sources of behavioral variability and how to manage them?

Question 39

How does a between-groups research design impact variability?

Question 40

Describe the most obvious source of variability in an investigation.