REACTIVITY TO HOME OBSERVATION: A COMPARISON OF AUDIO RECORDED BEHAVIOR WITH OBSERVERS PRESENT OR ABSENT1

Abstract

The study compared the behavior of family members at home as recorded by audiotape recordings in two conditions: with an observer present or absent. Behavioral differences were expected as a function of differential reactivity to these observational procedures, but none was found, and there was no evidence of adaptation effects in either condition. In general, significant positive correlations were obtained between the rates of recorded behavior in both situations. The implications of these findings for the development of nonreactive observation procedures were discussed.