Accuracy vs validity vs reliability
which one?
Example:
A therapist counts 15 instances of hand-flapping, and the actual number is 16 → fairly _____
If the count was 10 → less ______
Accuracy (fairly accurate, less accurate)
Accuracy vs validity vs reliability
which one?
Definition:
How close a measurement is to the true value of the behavior.
Also called measurement correctness.
Accuracy
Accuracy vs validity vs reliability
which one?
Key Point:
______ is about error in measurement, not consistency
Accuracy
Accuracy vs validity vs reliability
which one?
Definition:
The extent to which a measurement reflects the actual dimension of behavior it’s intended to measure.
In other words: are we measuring what we think we’re measuring?
Validity
Accuracy vs validity vs reliability
which one?
Example:
Measuring hand-raising: recording every hand-raise during class → ____
Measuring hand-raising by only counting first 5 minutes of class → less ____
Validity (valid, less valid)
Accuracy vs validity vs reliability
which one?
Key Point:
_______ is about accuracy of conceptual measurement, not just numerical counts
Validity
Accuracy vs validity vs reliability
which one?
Key Point:
_____ is about consistency, not necessarily correctness (a consistently wrong measurement can be reliable but not accurate or valid)
Reliability
Accuracy vs validity vs reliability
which one?
Example:
IOA -
Observer 1 counts 16 tantrums; Observer 2 counts 15 → IOA = 94% → reliable
If repeated sessions give similar counts → measurement is ______
Reliability
Accuracy vs validity vs reliability
which one?
Definition:
The consistency or repeatability of measurement across observers, time, or instruments.
High reliability means that different observers or repeated measurements produce similar results.
Reliability
what is the difference between accuracy and measurement?
Summary:
Measurement = the process of data collection
Accuracy = how correct the data collected are
measurement vs accuracy
which one?
Definition:
The degree to which a recorded measurement matches the true occurrence of behavior.
Measures correctness of the data collected, not the act of measuring itself
accuracy
measurement vs accuracy
which one?
Key Points:
_______ is a property of the _______
A _____ can be reliable but not _____ (e.g., consistently undercounting behavior)
accuracy, measurement
measurement, accurate
measurement vs accuracy
which one?
Definition:
The process of observing and recording behavior in a systematic way.
In ABA, _____ is objective and quantifiable, often using dimensions like rate, duration, magnitude, or topography.
measurement
measurement vs accuracy
which one?
Key Points:
______ is the act or method of collecting data
Can be accurate or inaccurate, reliable or unreliable, valid or invalid
Measurement
measurement vs accuracy
which one?
Example:
Counting every instance of hand-raising in a 30-minute session
Recording the duration of a tantrum
Measurement