WHO AND WHAT THE STANDARD BEHAVIOR GRAPH IS FOR:
Graphs of human performance through time give us a picture of where we are going based upon where we have been. They help us remember and stay accountable for our true progress far better than raw data or tables filled with numbers ever could. Any graph is good, but the Standard Behavior Graph is a kind of semi-log graph that shows wide-ranges of performance that can be compared in proportion. Literally any thing you track that grows or decays at fast rates might be best displayed on a semi-log graph through time. For example parents, teachers, coaches, or yourself may want to graphically display skills learned, bad behaviors reduced, or skills that are already known improved to the expert level. If you choose a graphic standard, then all the performances you track can be easily compared across graphs, precisely quantified, and quickly communicated.
WHERE THE SBG CAN BE FOUND:
​FREE copies of the SBG for both the International version AND the American version are available for graphing behavior that occurs over the course of a day, and behavior that occurs over the course of minutes (e.g., for short timings on academic tasks), and can be downloaded through this website; just click on the "Free Products" button above to find the download link. One may download and print an unlimited number of free copies. Additionally, a free electronic excel version of the SBG will be added for those who prefer graphing by computer.
The technical reference manual (SBG Guidebook), The Standard Behavior Graph: Standardized Graphing Made Easy, gives detailed, beautifully illustrated explanations on nearly all of the many ways the SBG can be used. The manual can be downloaded through this website; just click on the "Free Products" button above to find the manual.
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HOW TO READ THE SBG:
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Except for the light red horizontal 1 line in the center of the grid, each cycle is separated by a thick blue horizontal line (see the .001, .01,.1, 10,100, and 1000 line). The horizontal line in the center (the “1 line”) is light red so that a user can quickly determine the mid-point of the grid. The values of all lines on the Y-axes increase as they move from the bottom up to the top.
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A poem to help one remember how to count along the vertical axis goes as follows:
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The numbers with a "1",
from low to high,
are what you count from
and what you count by.
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So if you start at the .001 line, you count from .001 by .001's, from low to high, until you get to the next line with a "1" in it (.01). I.e., .001, .002, .003, .004, .005, .006, .007, .008, .009, .01, .02, .03, etc. More examples of how the poem is applied are given in the "Quick Start Guide" (select the button above). Note: For readers who know about the SCC, this rhyme is similar (and derived from) ones used to teach the SCC (e.g., see below and Dr. Maloney's website: www.maloneymethod.com), but it's slightly different in how it instructs the user in the specific direction in which one should read the numbers (from low to high), the order of "from" to "by" goes forward in time (rather than putting "by" before "from"), and virtually any number on the y-axes scales with a 1 in it will do, including those that don't start with "1" but actually start with ".00" before the "1" appears. Again, see the rhyme below for comparison.
WHAT THE SBG IS:
The Standard Behavior Graph (SBG) is a semi-logarithmic, time-series graph that has been designed to provide a standardized display of all dimensions of behavior (rate, duration, latency, etc.). It was derived from the Standard Celeration Chart (SCC) originally developed by Dr. Ogden Lindsley, and chosen as a standard primarily because it can accurately and sensitively display most ranges of human behavior, in any of its dimensions, in a continuous fashion over a practical amount of time. The SBG may have several advantages over previous versions of standardized charts such as the SCC, due to its enhanced usability.
The "Quarter Year, Daily" is a type of Standard Behavior Graph that is the flagship graph in the SBG family. A resized version of the Quarter Year, Daily is shown on the Home page of this website. The blue and green grid has a logarithmic double Y-axis with 6 full cycles. To capture a complete range of nearly all human behaviors, the grid's Y-axes have a range from .000694 (bottom) to 1440 (top), and are approximately 192 mm in length. The grid’s X-axis is equal-interval and displays calendar time continuously with a range from 1 day to 92 days (i.e., approximately 13 weeks, or ¼ of a year), and is approximately 176 mm in width. Additionally, when growth in any quantity of behavior doubles (X2) over an 8 day line period, the trend line that can be drawn to show that doubling is at a 34 degree angle.
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​The horizontal lines that mark the scales of the Y-axes are spaced apart from each other in a way that corresponds with their logarithmic values. For example, notice that when you go up from 10 to 20, you’re doubling your value (increasing by 100%), but when you go from 20 to 30, you are only increasing your value by 50%. Moreover, when you go from 90 to 100, you’re only increasing your value by 11%! For this reason, the physical distance between the 10 and the 20 line is the greatest within the cycle, whereas the distance between the 90 and the 100 line is the smallest within the cycle.
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The proportional spacing of the horizontal lines allow for (1) the sensitive display and comparison of quantities that differ vastly in amount, (2) exponential changes in quantities to be represented with straight lines that allow for easier description and prediction, and (3) faster and more consistent communication of precise descriptions of data--due to standardization.
WHO CREATED THE SBG, AND WHEN AND WHY WAS IT CREATED:
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The SBG was developed in 2011 and 2012 by Chad Kinney. Chad is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and has Professional Educator Certification in the state of Florida. He holds an M.S. degree in Applied Behavior Analysis, and a B.A. degree in Science Education. Creation of the SBG was inspired by (1) a need for a more broadly applicable and easy-to-use standardized display of measurement, and (2) a need for more significant and sustainable growth in the number of standardized display users. Hopefully, the SBG will allow progress toward those ends, but if not, then back to the drawing board.
ABOUT THE STANDARD CELERATION CHART (SCC): Note: This website for the SBG is not affiliated with or endorsed by any website or company that sells or promotes the Standard Celeration Chart (SCC).
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