PSYC 6731 Walden University Week 3 Behavioral Observation Discussion

Gaining experience in observation is essential for you to develop the skills necessary to make good, reliable, and valid observations in order to record behavior correctly. Without such data, you are less likely to have the ability to develop effective intervention plans, nor track their effectiveness.

For this assignment, you will conduct a 5-minute behavioral observation in a public setting. This Assignment may very well be the first time you have ever conducted a systematic behavioral observation. As you complete this Assignment, think of aspects of the behavior that may be important, even if you are not recording that information.

• Review the meaning of “frequency measurement,” as addressed by your Learning Resources and video introduction this week. Note: it will be critical for you to review all media programs for this week before completing this Assignment.
• Review the “Observing Problem Behaviors” video of a child exhibiting a target behavior located in this week’s Learning Resources. Apply observational systems to the behavior by doing the following:
  • Restate the target behavior as defined in last week’s Assignment.
  • Conduct a simple frequency measurement. That is, count up the number of times you observed the target behavior occurring on the video.
• Select a public venue to conduct a brief 5-minute behavioral observation (i.e., grocery store, coffee shop, park, mall, etc.).
• Apply observational systems to the behavior by doing the following:
  • Identify a target behavior (e.g., number of times sipping on a drink) as defined in last week’s Assignment.
  • Conduct a simple frequency measurement. That is, count up the number of times you observed the target behavior.

Assignment (1 page)

• Write a description of your experiences in conducting your simple frequency measurement (e.g., ease of assignment, difficulties encountered, etc.) of the behavior you selected from the public venue.
• Include your simple frequency measurement chart or tool in your paper.

Support your Assignment by citing all resources in APA style, including those in the Learning Resources.