MALKA211 Introduction to Behavior Analysis Course description

The course introduces the basic concepts of behavior analysis, mainly from experimental work and findings. Experimental analysis of behavior is a natural science with ontology and epistemology distinct from other behavioral sciences, and these distinctions are emphasized. Design of experiments; recording and measurement, and evaluation of experimental data are core topics.

Coursework requirements from MALK4000-401 and MALK4000-403 must be approved to participate and submit coursework requirements in MALKA211.  

On successful completion of the course, the student has the following learning outcomes classified as knowledge, skills and competence:

Knowledge

The student

• can describe and discuss characteristics of behavior analysis as a science
• can identify core concepts and relations concerning respondent and operant conditioning
• can describe and exemplify different measures of reliability
• can describe different methods of observation and recording of behavior, and choose the appropriate methods in different settings

Skills

The student

• can observe and measure behavior

Competence

The student

• can explain core concepts in behavior analysis to the Public
• can understand important aspects of behavior analysis as a science

Teaching and learning methods include lectures, exercises, student presentations and discussion of course readings. The lectures will partly be based on interteaching sequences using literature from the curriculum.

The following required coursework must be approved before the student can take the exam:

• 3 individual written assignments, each with maximum 6000 keystrokes

Individual written examination with invigilation, 4 hours. Exam questions are in English. Students may submit their exams in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish or English. 

None

Grade scale A-F

One internal and one external examiner will assess all exams.