| Abstract: Like any science, behavior analysis relies on quantification the use of numbers to represent phenomena in the natural world. In this tutorial, I present a simple framework for understanding how quantitative analyses may be helpful for behavior analysis. According to this framework, there are two major types of questions for which quantitative analyses are employed. First, is an observed effect the change in a variable studied under two or more conditions real and not due to chance; and second, can the relationship between a variable and its possible causal factors be represented economically in terms of a model? Inferential statistics are often used to answer questions of the first type, whereas techniques of exploratory data analysis and parameter estimation are necessary for developing models. Practical examples are given to illustrate these ideas. A major theme of the tutorial is that given the widespread availability of powerful spreadsheet software, even students with fairly minimal backgrounds in mathematics can successfully develop and test quantitative models. |