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Related Experiment Videos

Unobtrusive measures in behavioral assessment.

A E Kazdin1

  • 1The Pennsylvania State University.

Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis
|January 1, 1979
PubMed
Summary

Behavioral assessment often uses obtrusive methods, which can alter subject behavior. Unobtrusive measures offer a more accurate reflection of natural behavior, crucial for effective behavior modification.

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Area of Science:

  • Behavioral Psychology
  • Research Methodology

Background:

  • Behavioral assessment traditionally focuses on direct observation of overt behavior.
  • Current assessment methods are often obtrusive, leading to reactivity and potentially inaccurate results.
  • Obtrusive assessment can significantly alter subject performance, questioning the validity of findings.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To highlight the limitations of obtrusive behavioral assessment.
  • To introduce and illustrate the utility of unobtrusive measures in behavior modification.
  • To discuss challenges and ethical considerations associated with unobtrusive assessment.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing research on obtrusive vs. unobtrusive behavioral assessment.
  • Illustration of unobtrusive measures: direct observations, archival records, physical traces.
  • Discussion of validation, assessment, obtrusiveness, and ethical issues.

Main Results:

  • Obtrusive behavioral assessments are frequently reactive, influencing subject behavior.
  • Behaviors measured under obtrusive conditions show little correlation with those under unobtrusive conditions.
  • Unobtrusive measures provide a more authentic sample of client performance.

Conclusions:

  • Unobtrusive behavioral assessment is methodologically and practically superior for measuring behavior change.
  • Further research and application of unobtrusive measures are needed in behavior modification.
  • Careful consideration of validation, obtrusiveness, and ethics is essential for implementing unobtrusive measures.

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