Baseline
Also called: A phase, pre-treatment condition
Definition
The condition in which the independent variable is absent, measured repeatedly until responding is stable enough to predict what would happen if nothing changed. Baseline data are the comparison against which every treatment effect is judged, and a baseline that is trending in the direction of the intended change cannot support a clear conclusion.
In plain language
Measuring the behavior before treatment starts, long enough to see its usual pattern. Everything later is compared to this.
Example
Five sessions of counting requests before any teaching begins, so the team can see whether teaching changes the count.
Not baseline
One quick observation on the first day. A single point cannot show a pattern or predict what would happen without treatment.
See also
Written from
- sidman-1960
Written from Sidman (1960) on steady-state logic. No textbook glossary consulted.
This entry has not yet been through clinical review. Treat it as a draft.