
Faculty Books and Book Chapters

Chapter Title/Book Title
Systematic Observation
Book Title
Essays in Developmental Psychology
Editors
Randall Summers, Charles Golden, Lisa Lashley, & Erica Ailes
Files
Download Full Text
Document Type
Essay
Abstract/Excerpt/Description
Excerpt
Systematic observation is the process of explicitly defining desired target behaviors and observing them using a systematic set of guidelines. Systematic observation assists in reducing or eliminating bias in experimental designs. The reduction allows for increased reliability and validity therefore, an integral part in experimental designs. This process is widely used in school, home, and clinical settings. The process allows preset rules and guidelines to be to be followed prior to beginning the experiment. The rules and guidelines maintain the design within reasonable boundaries. All the preset rules are inferred prior to starting the experiment.
Keywords
bias, desired target behaviors, diagnostic information, experimental designs, reliability and validity, research methods, systematic observation
Publication Date
2020
Disciplines
Psychology
NSUWorks Citation
Trinidad, B.,
Lashley, L. K.,
Golden, C. J.
(2020). Systematic Observation. Essays in Developmental Psychology.
Available at: https://nsuworks.nova.edu/cps_facbooks/734

Comments
This is one in a collection of essays as part of a project that began as an encyclopedia of developmental psychology coordinated by Dr. Randall Summers. However, for unforeseen reasons, the publisher was no longer in a position to publish the encyclopedia. This project was undertaken so that thousands of hours of work by psychologists would not go wasted. Enjoy these essays and feel free to cite them using the proper format.
Submit suggestions for corrections and topics to goldench@nova.edu.