• Watch the Unit 1 Lecture (Transcripts)
• Read the following scenario

Setting the Scene:

You are a Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst (BCaBA) who works for Applied Behavior Associates, a community mental health agency. A group home provider serving adolescent foster children, ages 13–17, has submitted a referral to your agency for staff training in “behavior control procedures.” You have been assigned to provide training in basic principles of positive behavior intervention for the home. The home previously contracted with a non-credentialed “behavior specialist” who wrote behavior guidelines for the staff to follow. These guidelines included such recommendations as, “Whenever you notice a resident becoming aggressive, tell him to go to the quiet area. If he refuses, implement the two-person transportation procedure to move him to the quiet area. Prevent the resident from leaving the quiet area until he is calm. After the resident has met criteria to leave the quiet area, remove all privileges for the rest of the day.” These procedures have failed miserably, and you are being asked to provide some guidance.

Discussion:

• Discuss the three-term contingency (antecedent, behavior, and consequence) and its relevance to understanding why behaviors occur. What information pertaining to the three-term contingency needs to be considered in the current scenario?
• Discuss the components necessary for an operational definition of a target behavior. Provide an operational definition of the target behavior labeled “aggression” in the scenario that could be used to provide more clarity.
• Discuss one of the seven dimensions of Applied Behavior Analysis outlined by Baer, Wolf, and Risley (found in Applied Behavior Analysis, Chapter 1, and beginning on page 16) and describe how the dimension can be applied when considering interventions in the current scenario.

Guided Response Posts:

In your first response to a peer, critique the operational definition that he/she provided for the behavior labeled, “aggression.” Does the definition meet the criteria for an operational definition (observable, measurable, and repeatable)? Could you easily take data on the occurrence of the behavior based upon the definition? How could you rewrite the definition to increase clarity?

In your second response to a peer, propose a possible contingency for the target behavior in the scenario, that is, use creative license and identify an antecedent and consequence. Then, propose a behavior intervention to address the probable function of the behavior.

Reading and Resources

Read the following:

Chapter 1 in Applied Behavior Analysis (3rd edition): “Definition and Characteristics of Applied Behavior Analysis”

Chapter 1 introduces the basic characteristics and goals of science. Functional relations are explained, as are the overarching attitudes of science. The history and evolution of applied behavior analysis (ABA) are discussed and the different types of behaviorism are explored.

Chapter 2 in Applied Behavior Analysis (3rd edition): “Basic Concepts and Principles”

The distinction between “behavior,” “response,” and “response class” are explained and behavior functions are introduced. The effects of reinforcement and punishment on behavior are discussed and examples regarding how these two principles of behavior analysis can be applied are provided. Information regarding how complex behavior, such as verbal behavior, is addressed in applied behavior analysis, is provided.

Chapter 3 in Applied Behavior Analysis (3rd edition): “Selecting and Defining Target Behaviors” (pp. 67– 70)

The critical importance of assessment in applied behavior analysis is discussed and the importance of using observable and measurable terms to describe behavior and intervention outcomes is explained. Factors that should be considered when determining which behaviors should be established, strengthened, or weakened are presented.

TEXTBOOKS

Ethics for Behavior Analysts
Edition: 3rd (2016)
Author: Jon Bailey and Mary Burch
Publisher: Taylor and Francis

Applied Behavior Analysis
Edition: 3rd (2019)
Author: John O. Cooper, Timothy E. Heron, and William L. Heward
Publisher: Pearson

Assignment
To complete the following assignment, go to this week’s Assignment link in the left navigation.

Research Report

Write a research report based on a hypothetical research study. 
Conducting research and writing a report is common practice for many
students and practitioners in any of the behavioral sciences fields. 

A research report, which is based on scientific method, is typically composed of the different sections listed below:

1. Introduction: The introduction states a specific hypothesis and how that hypothesis was derived by connecting it to previous research. 
2. Methods: The methods section describes the
   details of how the hypothesis was tested and clarifies why the study was
   conducted in that particular way. 
3. Results: The results section is where the raw uninterpreted data is presented. 
4. Discussion: The discussion section is where an
   argument is presented on whether or not the data supports the
   hypothesis, the possible implications and limitations of the study, as
   well as possible future directions for this type of research. 

Together, these sections should tell the reader what was done, how it
was done, and what was learned through the research.  You will create a
research report based on a hypothetical problem, sample, results, and
literature review.  Organize your data by creating meaningful sections
within your report. Make sure that you:

• Apply key concepts of inferential hypothesis tests.
• Interpret the research findings of the study.
• Examine the assumptions and limitations of inferential tests.
• Develop a practical application of the research principles covered in this course.

Focus of the Research Report To begin, create a hypothetical research study (you do not
have to carry out the study; you will just have to describe it) that is
based on the three pieces of information listed below.  Once you have
your hypothetical study created, write a three- to four-page research
report (excluding title and reference pages) that outlines the study.
 You are encouraged to be creative with your research study, but be sure
to follow the format outlined below and adhere to APA formatting as
outlined in the Ashford Writing Center. 

Your hypothetical research study should be based on the following information: 

Recent research has indicated that eating chocolate can improve
memory.  Jones and Wilson (2011) found that eating chocolate two hours
before taking math tests improved scores significantly.  Wong, Hideki,
Anderson, and Skaarsgard (2009) found that women are better than men on
memory tests after eating chocolate. There were 50 men and 50 women who were randomly selected from a larger population. A t-test was conducted to compare men and women’s performance on
an assessment after eating chocolate. The results showed an independent
t-test value of t .05(99) = 3.43; p < .05

Your research study must contain the following:

Title Page
Title of your report Your name The course  Instructor Date Introduction
Introduce the research topic, explain why it is important,
and present the purpose of the paper and the research question and
hypothesis. Discuss how this study is related to other research on the topic. Elaborate on the information from the references you were given.  State how they relate to your hypothesis. Your introduction must:
Consist of a paragraph explaining what you are studying
and why. Use previously cited research to explain your expectations and
discuss how those expectations led to your hypothesis. State a clear and testable hypothesis and whether it is one-tailed or two-tailed.  Make sure it is understandable to someone who has not read the rest of your pape yet.State the null hypothesis.  Include a justification of the direction of your
hypothesis.  In other words, explain why you chose the direction of your
hypothesis if it is one-tailed (e.g., previous research suggests that
people with big feet are more likely to score higher on math 
tests; therefore the hypothesis is one-tailed) or if it is two-tailed
(e.g., previous research is not clear on which group will perform
better; therefore, the hypothesis is two-tailed). Describe why this study is important. Method
Design: State the experimental design of your study, the
independent and dependent variables, and what the task was (e.g., what
you had the participants do). Participants: Identify and describe your sample, how the
participants were selected to be in the study, and why you chose them. 
Provide details for how each individual was assigned to each group. Procedure: Describe the precise procedure you used to
conduct this research (i.e., exactly what you did).  It should be clear
enough that anyone could replicate your study.  This is the subsection
where you tell the reader how you collected the data. Data Analysis: Describe the statistical procedure used in the study to analyze the data. Results. In this section, you will describe the statistical results:
State the statistical tests that were used. Justify the choice of test. State the observed value and significance level and whether the test was one or two tailed.  State your conclusion in terms of the hypothesis. Did you accept or reject the null hypothesis? Discussion: Discuss your results as they relate to your hypothesis.
Did you accept the hypothesis or reject it? Compare your results to the previous studies mentioned in the introduction. Are your results similar or different? Discuss why. Tell the readers what your findings mean. Why did you get the results you did?
Identify limitations to your study. Suggest ways your study could be improved. Suggest ideas for future research, not just a
continuation of your study, but research that is similar to this study.
Perhaps one of the variables could be changed or a different sample
could be investigated. Finish with a concluding paragraph that is a statement of your findings and the key points of the discussion. Conclusion: Write a paragraph detailing your
experience with writing a research report. Discuss how easy/difficult it
was to write a false report that reads like real results, and how this
experience might affect you review research in the future. Do you think
this experience will provide you with a useful skill in your potential
career? References: You will create a minimum of three
fictitious references in the following format based on the information
you have created in the preceding sections of the report:
Author, A., & Author, B. (Publication year). Title of the article. Journal Name, volume number(issue number), page numbers. Example: Jones, A., & Williams, B. (2013). Why monkeys are good pets. Journal of Silly Science, 23(4), pp. 221-222.

You may access the Critical Thinking Community website for tips on how to formulate your report in a logical and meaningful manner.

Must be three to four double-spaced pages in length (excluding
title and reference pages) and formatted according to APA style as
outlined in the Ashford Writing Center. Must include a title page with the following:
Title of paper Student’s name Course name and number Instructor’s name Date submitted Must document all sources in APA style, as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center. Must include the sections with the appropriate headings and content listed above. Must include a separate reference page, formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.

Consider the information in Chapter 18 of the Ellman text. What points  do you believe are the most useful for conducting dissertation research?  Why?

Read Chapter 18.

URL:

https://www.gcumedia.com/digital-resources/taylor-and-francis-inc/2018/when-theories-touch_a-historical-and-theoretical-integration-of-psychoanalytic-thought-psychology-psychoanalysis-and-psychotherapy_1e.php

Aging Worksheet

In the following chart, name a positive (Good News) and a
negative (Bad News) aspect of aging for each developmental area.

Answer the
following two questions in 200-300 words each:

1. What strategies would you recommend to mitigate the negative
   aspects of aging?
2. What have you learned from this assignment and the text about the
   positive aspects of aging?