Effects of Immediate Tests on the Long-Term Maintenance of Stimulus Equivalence Classes (original) (raw)
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Psychological Record, 2010
Previous studies comparing groups of subjects have indicated differential probabilities of stimulus equivalence outcome as a function of training structures. One-to-Many (OTM) and Many-to-One (MTO) training structures seem to produce positive outcomes on tests for stimulus equivalence more often than a Linear Series (LS) training structure does. One of the predictions from the discrimination analysis of R. R. is that the differences in outcome between training structures should increase with number of class members. The purpose of the present experiment was to replicate and expand earlier findings on the effect of training structures and the stimulus equivalence outcome in a single-subject design. We wanted to compare the stimulus equivalence outcome in three 3-member classes to the outcome in three 4-member classes. In addition, we included all trial types in the tests and also changed the density of feedback before testing. The results from the current study replicated some earlier findings and showed that OTM gave a slightly better outcome on the stimulus equivalence test than MTO, and that both gave better outcome than LS. Thus, we did not find that MTO was superior to OTM with increasing number of members in each class. Reaction time data also replicated earlier findings that showed an increase from baseline to testing, and a more pronounced increase in reaction time on equivalence than symmetry trials. Differential procedural issues and some contingencies that could be important in understanding the results are discussed.
Equivalence Class Formation is Influenced by Stimulus Contingency
The Psychological Record, 2016
Three groups of subjects received training in stimulus equivalence classes with a respondent-type training procedure. Stimulus contingency was positive for the first group, zero for the second, and negative for the third. Afterwards, all participants were tested with a matching-to-sample task for four baseline relations (A1-B1, A2-B2, C1-B1, and C2-B2), four symmetry relations (B1-A1, B2-A2, B1-C1, and C2-B2), and four combined symmetry and transitivity relations (A1-C1, A2-C2, C1-A1, and C2-A2). After this, they were retrained and retested twice. Explicit reinforcement was not programmed during the training or testing phases. The number of subjects who learned the baseline relations and showed the emergence of derived relations was higher in the positive contingency group than in the zero or negative contingency groups, although in all cases at least one retraining phase was required in order to reach the criteria. This finding contributes to the literature suggesting that stimulus pairing is the fundamental variable underlying emergent stimulus functions.
Stimulus equivalence, generalization, and contextual stimulus control in verbal classes
The Analysis of verbal behavior, 2012
Stimulus generalization and contextual control affect the development of equivalence classes. Experiment 1 demonstrated primary stimulus generalization from the members of trained equivalence classes. Adults were taught to match six spoken Icelandic nouns and corresponding printed words and pictures to one another in computerized three-choice matching-to-sample tasks. Tests confirmed that six equivalence classes had formed. Without further training, plural forms of the stimuli were presented in tests for all matching performances. All participants demonstrated virtually errorless performances. In Experiment 2, classifications of the nouns used in Experiment 1 were brought under contextual control. Three nouns were feminine and three were masculine. The match-to-sample training taught participants to select a comparison of the same number as the sample (i.e., singular or plural) in the presence of contextual stimulus A regardless of noun gender. Concurrently, in the presence of conte...
The Psychological Record, 2011
Prior studies have shown that the establishment of equivalence classes using the simple-to-complex protocol significantly enhanced the emergence of other new equivalence classes under the simultaneous protocol (yield). The current experiment showed how those enhancement effects were influenced by each component of the protocol used to establish the initial equivalence classes.-Yield during the simultaneous protocol was not improved following the prior establishment of other baseline conditional discriminations alone. The prior establishment of the conditional discriminations plus symmetry testing produced a small increment in yield. The prior establishment of conditional discriminations plus transitivity testing produced a very large increment in yield. The prior establishment of conditional discriminations plus transitivity and symmetry testing, or symmetry~ transitivity and equivalence testing (Le., equivalence class formation) did not produce further increments in yield. Thus, the enhanced emergence of new equivalence classes under the simultaneous protocol was due to prior demonstrations of transitivity rather than to the prior establishment of other equivalence classes. Some possible behavioral processes responsible for these effects are discussed.
The Psychological Record, 2014
Background The current study sought to extend the work of Stewart et al. (The Psychological Record, 52, 77-88, 2002) by investigating the effects of differing histories with regard to color on participant's equivalence test performances. Method Thirty-two university students were divided into four groups exposed to different training procedures, but all were subsequently exposed to an identical equivalence test using colored stimuli (either red or green). Initially, participants were divided into two groups, one receiving training with stimuli colored either red or green (the All Color group), while the other received training with stimuli colored only black (Color Test group). In addition, half of the participants in both groups were exposed to exemplar training procedures (Exemplar Training groups), with the remaining participants simply receiving repeated test exposures (Repeat Groups). Results Results showed that participants in the All Color groups produced higher equivalence responding relative to participants in Color Test groups. Conclusion Exemplar training was shown to be effective in promoting equivalence responding only for participants in the All Color groups.
The relation between stimulus function and equivalence class formation
Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 2004
Fifty participants were exposed to a simple discrimination-training procedure during which six Sϩ functions were established for six arbitrary stimuli, and SϪ functions were established for a further six stimuli. Following this training, each participant was exposed to one of five conditions. In the Sϩ condition, participants were exposed to a stimulus equivalence training and testing procedure using only the six Sϩ stimuli as samples and comparisons. In the Sϩ/SϪ condition, participants were exposed to the same training and testing sequence as in the Sϩ condition, the difference being that three Sϩ and three SϪ stimuli were used as sample and comparison stimuli, with each set of three corresponding to the trained equivalence relations. In the Sϩ/SϪ mixed condition, the Sϩ and SϪ stimuli were assigned to their roles as samples and comparisons in a quasi-random order. In the SϪ condition, all six SϪ stimuli were used. The no-function condition served as a control condition and employed stimuli for which no stimulus-control functions had been established. The results showed that, on average, participants required more testing trials to form equivalence relations when the stimuli involved were functionally similar rather than functionally different. Moreover, participants required more test trials to form equivalence relations when novel arbitrary stimuli, rather than functionally distinct stimuli, were used as samples and comparisons. The speed of acquisition of stimulus equivalence was also related to the number of functionally similar stimuli established before training. These findings indicate a variety of ways in which the emergence of equivalence relations is affected by the functional classes in which the relevant stimuli participate.
Variation in baseline controlling relations is suggested as one of the factors determining variability in stimulus equivalence outcomes. This study used single-comparison trials attempting to control such controlling relations. Four children learned AB, BC, and CD conditional discriminations, with 2 samples and 2 comparison stimuli. In Condition A, a mask always covered the S+ or the S−, each in 50% of the training trials, ensuring both sample-S+ and sample-S− controlling relations. In subsequent tests, children showed immediate equivalence formation. Condition B trained the same sequence of conditional discriminations with different stimuli, attempting to prevent sample-S+ control in the BC conditional discrimination. Two children did not show equivalence, whereas the other 2 did. Probes suggested that children who formed equivalence in Condition B acquired sample-S+ relations, even with training designed to prevent them. Results indicate that acquisition of both sample-S+ and sample-S− relations increases the probability of immediate equivalence formation.