Final answer:
In multiple baseline designs, it's crucial to select independent behaviors and to consider ethical implications, as they can affect the reliability of the data and the conclusions drawn from the research.
Step-by-step explanation:
When selecting behaviors in multiple baseline designs, one important consideration is ensuring that the behaviors are independent of one another to avoid any confounding effects. This means that a change in one behavior should not directly cause a change in the other.
For example, if a psychologist is interested in assessing the impact of intervention strategies on both reducing anxiety and improving sleep quality, they would need to make sure that these behaviors are distinct enough that improvement in one does not inherently mean improvement in the other; otherwise, it might be difficult to determine which intervention contributed to the changes observed.
A researcher also needs to consider the practicality and ethical implications of the behaviors chosen for observation and alteration. Unethical behavior can have severe consequences on the reliability of research data, introducing biases or misrepresentations that could misguide the interpretation of the results and the effectiveness of interventions.
Therefore, any ethical concerns must be addressed, and appropriate ethical approvals should be obtained before starting the study.