Seven Dimensions Of Applied Behavior Analysis

1. Describe the basic characteristics and goals of science.

The overall goal of science is to be able to gain an understanding of the phenomena being studied by conducting different scientific investigations that create knowledge that qualifies one or more of the three levels of understanding.

The first level is description and it explains that systematic observation enhances the understanding of a certain phenomenon by allowing scientists to describe it in a more accurate way. In order to do so scientists need to collect data by observing the phenomenon of interest, record data, and examine all possible relations with other known facts. The information obtained from the description phase allows for the creation of hypotheses or questions to

further research.

The second level is a prediction and states that in the presence that one event causes another event to occur or fail to occur then the data has formed a correlation. A correlation is when a relationship is found between two events and can be used to predict the probability that one event will occur based on the other.

The third level is control which is the ability to predict with confidence in a valuable and useful result of science. Control is the third and highest level of scientific understanding. Functional relation exists when a well-controlled experiment reveals that a specific change in one event (DV) can reliably be produced by specific manipulation of another event (IV) and that the change in the DV was unlikely to be the result of other extraneous factors (confounding variables).

2. Explain behavior in accordance with the philosophical assumptions of behavior analysis.

One philosophical assumption is determinism which suggests that everything happens for a reason, including behaviour. Most behaviour analysts are determinist as they believe that there is a reason for the cause of every behaviour and it is their job to find out what that is in order to increase or decrease the behaviours, depending on the function it serves in the individual’s life.

Another philosophical assumption is empiricism which suggests that behaviours should be objectively observed in order to determine the variables that affect the occurrence of the behaviour. Empiricism plays the most important role in science because all efforts to understand, predict, and improve behaviour depends on the ability to define, observe, and measure the occurrence and non-occurrence of the behaviour.

Experimentation is the basic strategy of most sciences and it states that investigating the behaviour by looking at the variables and examining if a correlation exists among behaviour(s) and certain events is a necessary part of science. An experiment is a carefully conducted comparison of a measure of the phenomenon of interest to differing conditions.

Replication is being able to repeat experiments and is the primary method of which scientists determine the reliability and the usefulness of their findings as well as see their mistakes. Replication is important in order to make sure that the behaviour was not a rare occurrence.

Parsimony is the process of going through the simplest explanations first before moving up to the more complex explanations. Being parsimonious allows scientists to know if their findings fit within the fields existing knowledge base and to know if their findings are sufficient to explain the phenomena at hand.

Philosophical doubt states that because science is always changing, scientists have to be willing to put aside their beliefs and their preferred way of measuring a behaviour if there is a better method out there. With new advancements in the field, scientists have to be willing to change their preconceived way of thinking for the better

3. Explain determinism as it relates to behavior analysis.

Science is predicated on the assumption of determinism. Scientists presume that the universe is a lawful and orderly place in which all phenomena occur as the result of other events. Events don’t just happen but are all related. Determinism is a philosophical stance that cannot fully be proven and confirmed by experiment. Accidentalism is the opposite of determinism and it is the philosophical position that holds that events occur by accident or without cause. This philosophy also holds that events are predestined and predetermined.

4. State distinguishing features of mentalistic and environmental explanations of behavior.

The mentalistic explanation of behaviour is concerned with what the person is feeling on the inside. It considers parts of the mind that cannot be observed, such as explanatory fictions. Skinner pioneered a different behaviour than that of other psychological theories, including a form of behaviourism.

There are many psychological models and approaches to the study of behaviourism, but mentalism is the common denominator amongst them. Mentalism is an approach to the study of behaviour that assumes that an “inner” dimension exists that differs from a behavioural dimension, and the inner dimension directly causes or mediates some forms of behaviour. Mentalism holds that adequate explanation of behaviour must appeal directly to the efficacy of these mental phenomena.

Environmental explanations of behaviour on the other hand, are concerned with actual observable behaviour. Interactions between behaviour and the physical and social environment is of the most concern in the explanation. For example, a child keeps failing his math tests, his teachers and family might think that he has a learning disability and is not able to understand the content (mentalistic) but what is really going on is that the child is failing because his bad behaviour is being reinforced by his teacher and his family. He might be receiving more attention because by getting bad grades (environmental).

5. Describe and explain behavior in behavior analytic terms.

Behavior in behavior analytic terms is a response that can be controlled in the amount that it occurs and doesn’t occur in order to determine if a functional relation exists between the behaviour and another stimuli, such as the environment. Behavior is analytic when the experimenter is able to control the occurrence and non-occurrence of the behaviour and demonstrate control to the greatest extent possible. The analytic dimension enables behaviour analysts to demonstrate effectiveness, as well as provide functional and replicable relations between the interventions the study recommends and the socially significant outcomes of the study. Analytic refers to actually systematically describing how behaviour works in the real-world.

6.

State and describe each of the dimensions of applied behavior analysis.

The seven dimensions of applied behaviour analysis are applied, behavioural, analytic, technological, conceptual systems, effective, and generality.

Applied refers to selecting behaviours for change that have social significance for participants and that improve the day-to-day life experience of the participants when the behaviour is removed or increased. The behaviour should also have some significance to the significant others so that it increases how positive they act toward the individual.

Behavioral refers to behaviour that needs to be improved; choosing a similar behaviour that serves as a stand-in will not work. The chosen behaviour must be something that can be measured, so that when changes are observed it is possible to see what part of the behaviour has changed.

Analytic refers to the experimental demonstration of control. This dimension is concerned with if the control over the occurrence and non-occurrence of the behavior was able to produce a functional relation. Within this dimension it is most common to conduct single-subject designs as they are easy to observe if functional relations occur, they area also easy to

replicate.

A study is technological when all of its operative procedures are identified and described with sufficient detail and clarity so that the study can be replicated later on. A good check of technological adequacy of a procedure is to have a fellow researcher carefully read the description and then act out the procedure in detail. Within this dimension it is demonstrated if the methods are replicable, if there is a high level of understanding of the protocol and if the treatment is being applied in the correct way it was intended.

Conceptual systematic refers to procedures for changing behaviour and any interpretations of how or why those procedures were effective should be described in terms of the relevant principles from which they were derived.

A study is effective if it improves the behaviour under investigation to a practical degree. To be judged effective a study must produce behaviour changes that reach clinical or social significance and improves behavior sufficiently to produce practical results for the participant.

Generality refers to behaviour change that are maintained over time and in multiple settings other than one in which the intervention that initially produced. It is also concerned with the extent to which the target behaviours spreads to other pivotal behaviours and increases the individual ability to engage with their environments and with their significant others in a more positive manner (behavioural cusps).

Additional characteristics are that applied behaviour analysis is, accountable; public, visible, explicit, & straightforward; acheivable, a variety of individuals are able to implement principles and interventions; empowering, provide practitioners with real tools that work, and optimistic.