BAS BAS Data Collection and Analysis 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A supervisor wants staff to measure the time from the onset of a demand to the start of problem behavior. Which measurement dimension is most appropriate?
- Duration
- Latency (Correct answer)
- Inter-response time
- Rate
Correct answer: Latency
Latency measures the elapsed time between the onset of a stimulus (such as a demand) and the initiation of the target response.
Question 2: Which graphing convention should a supervisor enforce to separate baseline and intervention phases on a line graph?
- A dashed horizontal line at the mean
- A vertical phase-change line (Correct answer)
- A trend line connecting last baseline to first intervention point
- A shaded region around data points
Correct answer: A vertical phase-change line
A vertical phase-change line is the standard convention used to demarcate transitions between experimental phases on behavioral graphs.
Question 3: A behavior analyst supervisor is reviewing cumulative records. A flattening of the cumulative record curve indicates what about the target behavior?
- The behavior rate is accelerating
- The behavior rate is decelerating or has stopped (Correct answer)
- The behavior duration has increased
- Measurement errors are present
Correct answer: The behavior rate is decelerating or has stopped
On a cumulative graph, the slope represents rate; a flat or horizontal segment indicates zero or very low frequency of the behavior during that period.
Question 4: Which level of the measurement hierarchy involves calculating the proportion of total opportunities in which a behavior occurs?
- Frequency
- Rate
- Percentage (Correct answer)
- Magnitude
Correct answer: Percentage
Percentage (or percent correct/occurrence) is calculated by dividing the number of occurrences by the total number of opportunities and multiplying by 100, normalizing for varying opportunity counts.
Question 5: A supervisor trains staff using the BACB's definition of IOA. What minimum IOA percentage is generally considered acceptable for published behavioral research?
- 70%
- 75%
- 80% (Correct answer)
- 90%
Correct answer: 80%
An IOA of 80% or above is the widely accepted minimum threshold in applied behavior analysis research to demonstrate adequate measurement reliability.
Question 6: Which graphical analysis feature involves comparing the last few data points of one phase to the first few data points of the next phase?
- Within-phase variability
- Trend analysis
- Level change
- Data overlap (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Data overlap
Data overlap refers to how much the data points from adjacent phases share the same range of values, and less overlap indicates a stronger intervention effect.
BAS BAS Data Collection and Analysis 2
A supervisor wants staff to measure the time from the onset of a demand to the start of problem behavior.
Which measurement dimension is most appropriate?