Chapter 5: Improving And Assessing The Quality Of Behavioral Measurement

Front 1

accuracy

Back 1

the extent to which observed values, the data produced by measuring an event, match the true state, or true values of the event as it exists in nature

Front 2

believeability

Back 2

the extent to which the researcher convinces herself and others that the data is trustworthy and deserve interpretation

Front 3

calibration

Back 3

any procedure use to evaluate the accuracy of a measurement system and when sources of error are found, to use the information to correct or improve the measurement system

Front 4

continuous measurement

Back 4

measurement conducted in a manner such that all instances of response classes of interest are detected during the observation period

Front 5

discontinuous measurement

Back 5

measurement conducted in a manner such that some instances if the response class of interest may not be detected.

Front 6

exact-count- per interval IOA

Back 6

the percentage of total intervals in which two observers recorded the same count.

Front 7

indirect measurement

Back 7

occurs when the behavior that is measured is in some way different from the behavior of interest

Front 8

interobserver agreement (IOA)

Back 8

the degree to which two or more independent observers report the same observed values after measuring the same events

Front 9

interval-by-interval IOA

Back 9

an index of the agreement between observers for data obtained by interval recording or time sampling measurement, calculated for a given session or measurement period by comparing two observers recordings of the occurrence or non occurrence in each observation interval and dividing the number of intervals of agreement by the total number of intervals and multiplying by 100

Front 10

mean count per-interval IOA

Back 10

the average percentage of agreement between counts reported by two observers in a measurement period compromised of a series of smaller counting times; more conservative measure of IOA than total count IOA

Front 11

mean duration-per occurence IOA

Back 11

an IOA index for duration per occurrence data; also more conservative and usually more meaningful assessment of IOA for total duration data calculated for a given session or measurement period by computing the average percentage of agreement of the duration reported by two observers for each occurrence of behavior.

Front 12

measurement bias

Back 12

nonrandom measurement error; a form of inaccurate measurement in which the data consistently overestimate or underestimate the true value of an event.

Front 13

naive observer

Back 13

an observer who is unaware of the study's purpose sand or the experimental conditions in effect during a given phase or observation period.

Front 14

observed value

Back 14

a measure produced by an observation and measurement system.

Front 15

observer drift

Back 15

an unintended change in the way an observer uses a measurement system over the course of an investigation that results in measurement error

Front 16

observer reactivity

Back 16

influence on the data reported by an observer that results from the observers awareness that others are evaluating the data he reports.

Front 17

reliability

Back 17

refers to the consistency of measurement, the extent to which repeated measurement of the same event yields the same values

Front 18

scored interval IOA

Back 18

an inter-observer agreement index based only on the intervals in which either observer recorded the occurrence of the behavior; calculated by dividing the number of intervals in which two observers agreed that the behavior occurred by the number of intervals in which either or both observers recorded the occurrence of behavior and multiplying by 100

Front 19

total count IOA

Back 19

the simplest indicator of IOA for event recording data. compares the total count recorded by each observer per measurement period. Calculated by dividing the smaller of the two observers counts by the larger count and multiplying by 100

Front 20

total duration IOA

Back 20

a relevant index for total duration measurement; computed by dividing the shorter of the two duration reported by the longer duration and multiplying by 100

Front 21

trial by trial IOA

Back 21

an IOA index for discrete trial data based on comparing the observers counts ( 0 or 1) on a trial by trial or item by item, basis; yields a more conservative and meaningful index of IOA for discrete trial data than does total count IOA

Front 22

true value

Back 22

a measurement accepted as a quantitative description of the true state of some dimensional quantity of an event as it exists in nature.

Front 23

un-scored interval IOA

Back 23

An interobserver agreement index based only on the intervals in which either observer recorded the nonoccurrence of the behavior; calculated by dividing the number of intervals in which two observers agreed that the behavior did not occur by the number of intervals in which either or both observers recorded the nonoccurrence of the behavior and multiplying by 100

Front 24

validity

Back 24

the extent to which data obtained from measurement are directly relevant to the target behavior of interest and to the reason(s) for measuring it.