Question 1

Small-n experimentation is a recent innovation in psychological research.

Accepted Answer

Small-n experimentation, which involves detailed studies of individual or small groups, has been a part of psychological research for many years, predating many current large-scale statistical methods.

Question 2

A functional analysis of behavior is rarely applied to real-world behavioral problems.

Accepted Answer

Functional analysis of behavior is widely used in applied behavior analysis (ABA) to understand the purpose or reason behind behaviors, especially in real-world settings, to effectively address and modify problematic behaviors.

Question 3

One example of a(n)____ design is to gradually increase the number of chores required for a child to earn her allowance.
A) multiple baseline
B) alternating treatments
C) reversal
D) AB
E) changing-criterion

Accepted Answer

The changing-criterion design involves gradually altering the criteria for reinforcement or intervention. In this example, the gradual increase in the number of chores required for a child to earn her allowance fits the changing-criterion design, as the criterion (number of chores) changes over time.

Question 4

Which of the following is a characteristic of a changing-criterion design?
A) It is most frequently used in psychophysical research.
B) There is confounding from the order of conditions.
C) It provides multiple samples of a given behavior.
D) The researcher manipulates the contingency for a particular outcome.
E) It is the most effective small-n design.

Accepted Answer

In a changing-criterion design, the researcher systematically manipulates the contingency for a particular outcome by gradually changing the criterion for reinforcement or punishment, allowing for the observation of changes in behavior as the criterion changes.

Question 5

An AB design is usually quite effective in revealing factors that could potentially be confounded with the independent variable(s).

Accepted Answer

An AB design, which typically involves a baseline (A) followed by an intervention (B), does not control for confounding variables, making it difficult to attribute changes solely to the independent variable(s).

Question 6

The alternating-treatments design as used by Rose was argued to show that artificial colors in food might lead to hyperactivity.

Accepted Answer

The alternating-treatments design is a research method used to compare the effects of different treatments. Rose used this design to investigate the impact of artificial colors on hyperactivity, suggesting a potential link.

Question 7

In the ABA design,the A refers to baseline periods of observation.

Accepted Answer

In the ABA design, the first "A" refers to the initial baseline period where observations are made without any intervention to establish a reference point for behavior or conditions.

Question 8

Which of the following small-n designs can be used as either a within-subjects or a between-subjects approach?
A) AB
B) multiple baseline
C) reversal
D) changing-criterion

Accepted Answer

Multiple baseline designs can be adapted for use in either within-subjects or between-subjects research, depending on how the baselines are established and compared across different subjects, settings, or behaviors.

Question 9

A primary source of confounding in an AB design comes from the order of conditions.

Accepted Answer

In an AB design, where "A" represents a baseline condition and "B" represents an intervention or treatment condition, the order of conditions (i.e., always going from baseline to intervention without counterbalancing) can introduce confounding because any changes observed might be due to the order of presentation rather than the intervention itself.

Question 10

Small-n designs are not relied upon very often in psychophysical research.

Accepted Answer

Small-n designs, which focus on intensive study of a few subjects, are often used in psychophysical research to explore perceptual phenomena and individual differences in sensory processing.

Question 11

Which small-n design would probably be most effective if unwanted,permanent carryover effects were anticipated?
A) ABA
B) AB
C) multiple baseline
D) changing-criterion

Accepted Answer

Multiple baseline designs are effective in situations where unwanted, permanent carryover effects are anticipated because they do not require reversing conditions, thus avoiding the issue of carryover effects.

Question 12

The memory studies by Nissen and colleagues (1988)showed that multiple personalities:
A) are completely independent of each other
B) are completely dependent on each other
C) share ambiguous information with each other
D) do not share ambiguous information with each other

Accepted Answer

Nissen and colleagues (1988) found that multiple personalities do not share ambiguous information with each other, indicating a lack of information transfer between different identities.

Question 13

After previously rewarding the class for simply generating a research question,your instructor decides to only reward writing a complete results section,and later rewards nothing short of a complete proposal in APA style.With which small-n design is this approach most consistent?
A) AB
B) reversal
C) alternating treatments
D) changing-criterion
E) case study

Accepted Answer

This approach is most consistent with the changing-criterion design, where the criterion for success is gradually increased until the desired behavior is achieved. In this case, the instructor is gradually increasing the expectations for the assignment, starting from generating a research question to writing a complete proposal in APA style.

Question 14

Which statement is true of within-subjects multiple baseline experiments?
A) Effects cannot be attributed to the independent variable if the measured behaviors interact.
B) Each participant receives a given baseline condition more than once.
C) They are most commonly used in medical research.
D) They frequently suffer from confounding with order.

Accepted Answer

In within-subjects multiple baseline experiments, if the measured behaviors interact, it can be difficult to attribute effects solely to the independent variable, as interactions may confound the results.

Question 15

Studies with a small number of participants are often just as valid as studies with a large number of participants.This is because small-n studies often insure a reliable result from each participant by including lots of trials.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Studies with a small number of participants...

Question 16

If behavior returns to baseline in the reversal design,the experimenter cannot conclude that it was the independent variable that changed behavior in the second phase.

Accepted Answer

In a reversal design, if behavior returns to baseline when the independent variable is removed, it typically indicates that the independent variable was indeed responsible for the change in behavior, as the design demonstrates the effect of introducing and then removing the treatment or intervention.

Question 17

Assume that you are designing a study on the effect of a proposed treatment (or treatments)on two different behaviors in children (e.g.,crying and fighting).For each individual child,one behavior could simply be measured while the other behavior is being treated.Alternatively,the measurement of a behavior (in the absence of treatment)could occur for a variable length of time for each participant.You are developing a(n)____.
A) changing-criterion design
B) AB
C) reversal
D) multiple baseline

Accepted Answer

A multiple baseline design involves measuring behaviors over time and introducing the intervention at different times for the different behaviors or participants. This allows for the observation of changes in behavior that can be attributed to the intervention, rather than to other factors, making it suitable for the scenario described.

Question 18

A functional analysis of behavior is the result of systematic,detailed observations that are acquired to establish the potential cause of a problem behavior.

Accepted Answer

A functional analysis of behavior involves systematic and detailed observations to identify the antecedents, behaviors, and consequences (ABCs) in order to determine the function or cause of a specific problem behavior.

Question 19

The smallest possible small-n design:
A) is always done between subjects
B) is uninformative because it is so small
C) is also known as a case study
D) is the best use of an AB design

Accepted Answer

A small-n design can refer to research involving a very small number of participants, and the smallest possible small-n design, involving just one participant, is indeed known as a case study. This approach allows for in-depth exploration of phenomena within a single individual, providing valuable insights that might not emerge from larger studies.

Question 20

After previously rewarding the class for simply generating a research question,your instructor decides to only reward writing a complete results section,and later rewards nothing short of a complete proposal in APA style.With which small-n design is this approach most consistent?
A) AB
B) reversal
C) alternating treatments
D) changing-criterion
E) case study

Accepted Answer

This approach is most consistent with a changing-criterion design. In a changing-criterion design, the level of performance required for reinforcement is systematically altered over time. In this scenario, the instructor gradually increases the requirements for a reward, starting from generating a research question, then requiring a complete results section, and finally demanding a complete proposal in APA style. This gradual increase in criteria mirrors the changing-criterion design's approach to modifying behavior or performance standards over time.

Quiz 11: Small-N Experimentation

Small-n experimentation is a recent innovation in psychological research.

A functional analysis of behavior is rarely applied to real-world behavioral problems.

One example of a(n) ____ design is to gradually increase the number of chores required for a child to earn her allowance.

Which of the following is a characteristic of a changing-criterion design?

An AB design is usually quite effective in revealing factors that could potentially be confounded with the independent variable(s).

The alternating-treatments design as used by Rose was argued to show that artificial colors in food might lead to hyperactivity.

In the ABA design,the A refers to baseline periods of observation.

Which of the following small-n designs can be used as either a within-subjects or a between-subjects approach?

A primary source of confounding in an AB design comes from the order of conditions.

Small-n designs are not relied upon very often in psychophysical research.

Which small-n design would probably be most effective if unwanted,permanent carryover effects were anticipated?

The memory studies by Nissen and colleagues (1988) showed that multiple personalities:

After previously rewarding the class for simply generating a research question,your instructor decides to only reward writing a complete results section,and later rewards nothing short of a complete proposal in APA style.With which small-n design is this approach most consistent?

Which statement is true of within-subjects multiple baseline experiments?

Studies with a small number of participants are often just as valid as studies with a large number of participants.This is because small-n studies often insure a reliable result from each participant by including lots of trials.

If behavior returns to baseline in the reversal design,the experimenter cannot conclude that it was the independent variable that changed behavior in the second phase.

A functional analysis of behavior is the result of systematic,detailed observations that are acquired to establish the potential cause of a problem behavior.

The smallest possible small-n design:

After previously rewarding the class for simply generating a research question,your instructor decides to only reward writing a complete results section,and later rewards nothing short of a complete proposal in APA style.With which small-n design is this approach most consistent?