Chapter 4:

Measuring Behavior

Cooper, Heron, and Heward Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.

Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition All rights reserved
 Practitioners Need
Measurement
• To evaluate (before during and after)
effects of treatment
• To guide decision making
• To continue ineffective treatment or
discontinue effective treatment

Cooper, Heron, and Heward Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.

Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition All rights reserved
 Measurable Dimensions of
Behavior
• Dimensions are distinct features that
can be measured
• Three fundamental properties
– Repeatability or countability (conteo):
behavior can be counted
– Temporal extent: duration
– Temporal locus: when behavior occurs

Cooper, Heron, and Heward Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.

Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition All rights reserved
 Measures Based on
Repeatability
Count
– # of responses emitted during obs. period
Rate/Frequency (better than counting)
– Ratio of count per observation period
• Include counting time for reference
• Rate of correct and incorrect responses
helpful.

Cooper, Heron, and Heward Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.

Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition All rights reserved
 Guidelines for Using Rate
• Useful measure for free operants
• Not appropriate for responses within
discrete trials
• Not appropriate for continuous behavior
over extended period

Cooper, Heron, and Heward Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.

Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition All rights reserved
 Measures Based on
Repeatability
Celeration
– Measure of the change in rate of
responding per unit of time
• Reported using Standard Celeration
Chart

Cooper, Heron, and Heward Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.

Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition All rights reserved
 Measures Based on Temporal
Extent
Duration
– The amount of time a behavior occurs
• Total duration per session (with or
without specifying observation period)
• Duration per each occurrence (mean)
• Count and duration measures provide
different pictures of same behavior
Cooper, Heron, and Heward Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition All rights reserved
 Measures Based on Temporal
Locus
Response latency
– Measure of elapsed time between onset of
stimulus and initiation of response
• Typically reported as mean, median,
and range

Cooper, Heron, and Heward Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.

Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition All rights reserved
 Measures Based on Temporal
Locus
Interresponse time
– Amount of time that elapses between two
consecutive instances of a response class
• Direct measure of temporal locus, and
related to rate
• Reported as mean, median, and range

Cooper, Heron, and Heward Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.

Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition All rights reserved
 Derivative Measures
Percentage
– A ratio formed by combining the same
dimensional qualities
– Expresses proportional quantity
• Common: proportion of correct
responses, and proportion of
observation intervals when behavior
occurred
Cooper, Heron, and Heward Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition All rights reserved
 Considerations for Using
Percentage
Often misunderstood, used incorrectly:
• Most accurate with divisor of 100 +
• Percentage may be misleading (5/10
12/20; errors increased!)
• Limited use because has no
dimensional quantity
• Sets artificial limits on behavior change
Cooper, Heron, and Heward Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition All rights reserved
 Derivative Measures
Trials-to-criterion
– Measure of the number of response
opportunities needed to achieve a
predetermined level of performance
• Count (“blocks of 10 trials to master
X”)and other measures can be used to
determine trials-to-criterion (e.g., rate)

Cooper, Heron, and Heward Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.

Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition All rights reserved
 Definitional Measures: Form
and Intensity
Topography
– The physical form or shape of a behavior
• Malleable by consequences
Magnitude
– The force or intensity with which a
response is emitted (e.g., voice volume)
Not fundamental qualities of behavior
Cooper, Heron, and Heward Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition All rights reserved
 Procedures for Measuring
Behavior
Typically involve one or a combination of
these three:
1. Event recording
2. Timing
3. Time sampling methods

Cooper, Heron, and Heward Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.

Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition All rights reserved
 Event Recording
Procedures recording the number of times
a behavior is observed
– Wrist counters, digital counters, etc.
– Behavior must have discrete beginning and
ending
– Rate must not be too high
– Inappropriate for behaviors with long
duration
Cooper, Heron, and Heward Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition All rights reserved
 Timing
• Procedures to measure duration, response
latency, and interresponse time
– computer systems, stopwatch, wall clocks, tape
recorder

Cooper, Heron, and Heward Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.

Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition All rights reserved
 Time Sampling
• Variety of methods for observing and
recording behavior during intervals or at
specific moments in time

• Observation is divided into intervals,

presence or absence of behavior
recorded for each interval

Cooper, Heron, and Heward Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.

Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition All rights reserved
 Time Sampling: Whole-
Interval Recording
• Used to measure continuous behavior
• Brief intervals (5-15 seconds)
• At end of interval, record if behavior
occurred throughout
• Risk of underestimation
• Reported as percentage of intervals
when behavior occurred
Cooper, Heron, and Heward Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition All rights reserved
 Time Sampling: Partial-
Interval Recording
• At end of interval record if behavior
occurred at any time during interval
• Multiple occurrences scored as one
– Does not capture duration
• Allows recording of multiple behaviors
• Reported as percentage of intervals
when behavior occurred
Cooper, Heron, and Heward Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition All rights reserved
 Time Sampling: Momentary
Time Sampling
• Record whether the behavior is
occurring at the end of the interval
• Does not require undivided attention
• Misses much behavior
– Best for continuous behavior
• Reported as percentage of intervals
when behavior occurred
Cooper, Heron, and Heward Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition All rights reserved
 Time Sampling: Planned
Activity Check
• Variation of momentary time sampling
– Measures behavior of individuals within a
group
• At end of interval, measure number of
students engaged in target activity

Cooper, Heron, and Heward Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.

Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition All rights reserved
 Guidelines for Time Sampling
• Use a timing device to signal beginning
and end of observation
• Record a response for every interval
(e.g., yes or no)
• Different procedures produce different
results

Cooper, Heron, and Heward Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.

Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition All rights reserved
 Measuring Behavior by
Permanent Product
• Measuring behavior after it has occurred
by measuring its effects on the
environment
• Ex post facto
• All previous procedures can be applied to
permanent product measurement
• Products can be a natural or contrived
(e.g., videotapes)
Cooper, Heron, and Heward Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition All rights reserved
 Advantages of Permanent
Product Recording
• Practitioner free to do other tasks
• Possible measurement of otherwise
inaccessible behavior
• More accurate, complete, continuous
• Easier data collection (IOA, treatment
integrity)
• Measurement of complex behavior
Cooper, Heron, and Heward Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition All rights reserved
 Determining Appropriate Use
• Is real-time measurement needed?
– Moment to moment decisions required
• Can behavior be measured by
permanent product?
– Each occurrence must produce same
product
– Product can only be produced by target
behavior
Cooper, Heron, and Heward Copyright © 2007 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Applied Behavior Analysis, Second Edition All rights reserved