James M. Harper
September 26, 2014
Family Studies Center
Why would I want to do Behavioral
Observation Research?
 Actual behavior often predicts differently than self-
report
 May give leverage to get into better journals
 May be a better fit to your research question
Decision Tree(Wampler & Harper, 2014)
Types of Coding Systems
 Micro (time, thought phrases, talk turns)
 Macro (watch entire taped segment and then rate)
 Mutually Exclusive?
 Sequential behavior or simultaneous behavior
 Verbal
 Non-verbal
Types of Tasks
 High Conflict
 Activity (tinker toy, build something, cook recipe
together)
 Discussion based
 Event based
Flourishing Families Tasks
 1st Wave
 Marital 25 min. discussion
 Parent-child 15 min. discussion
 Family (parents and target child) 15 min. problem solving
 2nd Wave
 Marital: 3 min. discussion of what to teach child
 5 min. Teach child something he/she doesn’t know
 Parent-child 9 min. discussion
 15 min. family problem solving
 Wave 3
 Marital 10 min. discussion of how economic downturn
affected them
 Marital 9 minute discussion about target child
 Parent-child 9 min. discussion
 5 min. family problem
 Wave 4
 5 min. family problem solving
 Wave 5
 5 min. family problem solving
Iowa Family Interaction Rating
Scales (IFIRS)
 Macro Coding System
 Coder watches segment twice for each target person
 Gives 1-9 score for each type of behavior
Individual Characteristic Codes
PA
HU
SD
AX
WC
EX
PM
RR
Physically Attractive (1-7)
Humor/Laugh
Sadness
Anxiety
Whine/Complain
Externalized Negative
Positive Mood
Rater Response (1-7)
Dyadic Interaction Scales
HS
VA
AT
CT
AC
EH
RH
DO
LM
IT
DE
WM
ED
AF
EW
RW
AR
LR
CO
PR
AN
AV
Hostility
Verbal Attack
Physical Attack
Contempt
Angry Coercion
Escalate Hostility
Reciprocate Hostility
Dominance
Lecture/Moralize
Interrogate
Denial
Warmth
Endearment
Physical Affection
Escalate Warmth
Reciprocate Warmth
Assertiveness
Listener Responsiveness
Communication
Prosocial
Antisocial
Avoidant
Parenting Scales
ND
IP
QT
PI
CM
CD
ID
HD
PO
EI
IR
EC
Neglecting/Distancing
Indulgent/Permissive
Quality Time
Parental Influence
Child Monitoring
Consistent Discipline
Inconsistent Discipline
Harsh Discipline
Positive Reinforcement
Encourages Independent
Inductive Reasoning
Easily Coerced
Problem Solving Scales
SN
SQ
EF
DS
NC
Individual Problem-Solving Scales (5)
Solution Quantity
Solution Quality
Effective Process
Disruptive Process
Negotiation/Compromise
FE
AP
AS
IC
PD
Group Problem-Solving Scales (5)
Family Enjoyment
Agreement on Problem Description
Agreement on Solution
Implementation Commitment
Problem Difficulty
Group Interaction Scales
SP Silence/Pause
RQ Relationship Quality
GE Group Enjoyment
Creating Latent Variables from
Observational Codes—Examples
using Flourishing Families data
1
Wife
Hostility
e11
Wife
Reciprocate
Hostility
1
e10
1
e9
1
e8
e7
e6
1
1
e2
e1
e12
1
Father's View
of Attachment
Child's View
of Attachment
1
Wife
Contempt
e16
Time 2 Father
Child Attachment
Wife
Denial
1
Time 2 School
Engagement
Husband
Hostility
1
e3
e27
1
Wife
Antisocial
1
Time 1Negative
Marital
Interaction
Husband
Denial
e5
e4
e26
Husband
Escalate
Hostility
Husband
1
Reciprocate
Hostility
1
Time 2 Child
Self Regulation
1
1
Ttime 2 Mother
Child Attachment
Contempt
1
1
1
Husband
Angry
Coercion
Husband
Antisocial
e25
1
Mom's View
of Attachment
child's View
of Attachment
1
1
e28
e29
1
1
Mother's view
School Engagement
e13
1
Father's view
School Engagement
e14
Child's view
School Engagement
1
Mother's view
Child's Self Reg
1
Father's view
Child's Self Reg
1
Child's view
Self Reg
1
e15
e17
e18
e19
e15
e16
1
M-Child
Self Regulation
1 M-Share your feelings/
e1
encourage others to
share their feelings.
1
e2
1
e3
1
e4
1
e5
1
e6
M-Play; have
fun together.
M-Make sure
family members
know your friends.
1
e18
1
C-Self
Regulation
1
1
1
Warmth
Child
Self Regulation
e19
1
1
Affection
Child Emotional
Responsiveness
to Mother
e8
1
Escalate
Warmth
e9
1
Family Implicit
Process Rules
F-Share your feelings/
encourage others to
share their feelings.
e7
1
Endearment
1
Child Emotional 1
Responsiveness
to Father
e10
1
Warmth
e11
1
Affection
F-Play; have
fun together.
F-Make sure
family members
know your friends.
e20
Escalate
Warmth
e12
1
e13
1
Child's Gender
1
e17
Endearment
e14
Micro Coding
 Frequencies & Ratios
 Temporal Counts
 Sequential
Conditional Probability Matrix
Antecedent
Behaviors
Consequent Behaviors
W
W
W
H
H
H
Initiation
W
W
W
H
H
H
Terminate
Conditional
Probabilities
Training Coders
 Manuals
 Behavioral Spots
 Criterion Coded Task
 Inter-rater reliabilities
 Coder Drift