Consider the Following Hypothetical Experiment: a Researcher Conducted a Study

Essay

Consider the following hypothetical experiment: A researcher conducted a study to decrease the frequency with which a college professor used the words "uh" and "you know" during his lectures. The treatment consisted of a small signal at the back of the room which the experimenter flashed each time the professor uttered one of the verbal phrases targeted for extinction. An A-B-A design was used to assess the treatment effect. The results indicated a high baseline frequency of the behaviors, followed by a dramatic decrease in frequency when the treatment was initiated. The behaviors increased again when the treatment was withdrawn. Describe an alternative single-subject design that might be used to demonstrate a treatment effect.