1 Foundations of Behavioral Measurement and Frequency Free Online FlashCards

What is behavior?

An action or activity an organism does.

How should behavior be defined for reliable measurement?

Describe what a person could see or hear, rather than an inferred feeling, intention, or trait.

What does a measurement unit specify?

It specifies what is counted or timed.

What is a count?

The raw number of occurrences observed.

What is the formula for rate?

$\text{Rate} = \frac{\text{count}}{\text{observation time}}$.

How should a count be reported?

Include the observation period, for example, $8$ call-outs in $20$ minutes.

Why use rate when observation periods differ?

Rate adjusts the count for observation time, making observations of different lengths more comparable.

What should be decided before counting occurrences?

Decide what qualifies as one occurrence and apply that rule consistently throughout each observation.

What if a behavior has no clear boundaries?

A simple event count may be difficult to apply consistently; choose a method that fits the behavior and the question.

What is the unit for event-counting?

One clearly defined occurrence, such as one call-out or one completed task.

How is frequency used in this material?

In this convention, frequency is the number of times behavior occurred during a stated observation period; it is not necessarily adjusted to a standard time unit.

What does a rate express?

Rate expresses occurrences per unit of time.