Small-N Designs in Research

A research design where an intervention (treatment) is introduced after a stable baseline period of observation, allowing researchers to determine if the intervention causes a change in behavior.

A research design where an intervention is introduced at different times for different individuals, situations, or behaviors, controlling for any other potential explanations for change.

A research design where an intervention is applied and then removed (reversal) to see if the behavior returns to the baseline level, confirming the causal relationship between the intervention and behavior change.

The strength of a study's design to demonstrate that the intervention truly caused the observed changes, not other factors.

The ethical consideration of whether it is appropriate to remove an effective treatment, even temporarily, to observe the return of the behavior.

A research design that involves gathering data from only one or a few individuals, focusing on each participant's unique responses to different conditions.

A research design that involves collecting data from a large group of participants, analyzing their responses collectively, and drawing conclusions about the group as a whole.

In a small-N design, each individual acts as their own control, meaning their behavior or performance is compared across different conditions or treatment periods.

Using multiple research methods to investigate the same phenomenon, providing a more comprehensive understanding. This helps to address limitations of any single method.

Small-N designs are valuable in applied settings, like education, clinical therapy, and work environments, where practitioners can evaluate the effectiveness of their interventions for individual clients or students.

A field of psychology that focuses on the analysis of behavior, often using small-N designs to study the effectiveness of behavioral interventions.