Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Observer Validity, Riley C. Worthy

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

The accuracy of data recorded by eight different observers over five observational tasks was investigated. The measures collected by each observer were compared with criterion values for each task. In addition, a coefficient of reliability was found for each observer by comparing his performance with that of the group. The results showed that the accuracy of observer recorded data was within the limits of acceptability and that the correlation between reliability and accuracy was moderately high.

Contrast Effects : Incentive Value Of N-Lengths, F. Douglas Cummins

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

E.J. Capaldi has developed a sequential explanation of the partial reinforcement effect. The central assumption of this explanation is that non reinforced trials occasion a specific and distinctive internal stimulus and that this stimulus is progressively modified by successive non reinforcements.

In this experiment, forty, male albino Holtzman rats traversed a straight alley runway under different patterns of partial reinforcement. Group One received an N3-length, i.e., three successive non-reinforced trials followed by a reinforced trial. Group Two received an N1-length, i.e., one non-reinforced trial followed by a reinforced trial. Group Three received an N3-length for the first ten days of …