BACB Measurement and Data Collection 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which type of graph is most commonly used in single-subject ABA research to display data across conditions and phases?
- Bar graph
- Scatter plot
- Line graph (Correct answer)
- Histogram
Correct answer: Line graph
Line graphs display data points connected by lines across time, making it easy to visualize trends, level changes, and variability across experimental conditions.
Question 2: What does a 'phase change line' on a behavior graph indicate?
- A data point that is an outlier
- A change in the experimental condition or intervention (Correct answer)
- The average performance across sessions
- The end of data collection
Correct answer: A change in the experimental condition or intervention
A phase change line is a vertical line drawn on a graph to indicate the point at which an experimental condition or intervention changed.
Question 3: What is the primary purpose of a cumulative record in behavior analysis?
- To show response rate via slope across time (Correct answer)
- To compare means across conditions
- To record interobserver agreement
- To show latency of individual responses
Correct answer: To show response rate via slope across time
A cumulative record plots the total number of responses over time; the slope of the line directly reflects response rate, making rate changes visually apparent.
Question 4: Which measurement dimension is defined as the time elapsed between the onset of a stimulus and the initiation of a response?
- Duration
- Interresponse time
- Latency (Correct answer)
- Magnitude
Correct answer: Latency
Latency is the elapsed time between the onset of an antecedent stimulus and the start of the target response.
Question 5: Whole-interval recording tends to do which of the following relative to the true occurrence of a behavior?
- Overestimate
- Underestimate (Correct answer)
- Accurately estimate
- Produce no systematic bias
Correct answer: Underestimate
Whole-interval recording underestimates behavior because it only scores an interval as positive if the behavior occurred throughout the entire interval.
Question 6: A behavior analyst calculates IOA by dividing the number of intervals with agreement by the total number of intervals and multiplying by 100. What method is this?
- Total count IOA
- Interval-by-interval IOA (Correct answer)
- Scored-interval IOA
- Trial-by-trial IOA
Correct answer: Interval-by-interval IOA
Interval-by-interval IOA compares each interval independently and expresses overall agreement as a percentage of intervals where both observers recorded the same outcome.
BACB Measurement and Data Collection 2
Which type of graph is most commonly used in single-subject ABA research to display data across conditions and phases?