Abstract
This paper describes a method for recording couples’ observations of their communications during an ongoing interaction sequence. The procedure allows the recording and decoding of immediate reactions, while maintaining an ecologically valid observation environment. Responses are encoded on a stereo cassette tape player and are decoded by a PDP-11/10 computer with two Schmitt triggers that count the peaks in the tones. The computer provides analysis of the response value and time. Applications for other research problems in the areas of social and applied clinical psychology are discussed.
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Floyd, F.Insiders’ and outsiders’ perspectives of the communications of distressed and nondistressed married couples. Unpublished master’s thesis, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio, 1980.
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The authors would like to acknowledge the contribution of Dan Maddox, who built the communication-box hardware, and thank Frank Floyd, who helped develop the communication-box procedure, and our reviewers, for their helpful comments.
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Mabkman, H.J., Poltrock, S.E. A computerized system for recording and analysis of self-observations of couples’ interaction. Behavior Research Methods & Instrumentation 14, 186–190 (1982). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03202151
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03202151