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| Int'l Symposium - Empirical Analyses of the Transfer and Transformation of Consequential Functions |
| Monday, May 31, 2004 |
| 10:30 AM–11:50 AM |
| Fairfax A |
| Area: EAB; Domain: Applied Research |
| Chair: Robert Whelan (National University of Ireland, Maynooth) |
| Abstract: . |
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| Derived Consequential Functions Established through Equivalence Classes: Conditioned Reinforcement and Punishment |
| DANIEL MARK FIENUP (Illinois State University), Ruth Anne Rehfeldt (Southern Illinois University), Thomas S. Critchfield (Illinois State University), Trisha Erbstoesser (Illinois State University) |
| Abstract: We report the beginning steps of an analysis to determine how multiple consequential functions of stimuli transfer within stimulus equivalence classes. Research has demonstrated the transfer of a single consequence function within an equivalence class (Hayes, Kohlenberg, and Hayes, 1991). Outside the laboratory, however, equivalence classes may encompass multiple functions among stimuli, including opposing functions. The present analysis begins to examine how the functions of stimuli transfer when a single equivalence class is trained that contains stimuli with opposing functions. Participants were trained to make simple S+, S- discriminations which ultimately paired the gain of points (+30 or +10) and loss of points (-10 or -30) with abstract stimuli (B1 and C1). After demonstrating that the abstract stimuli could serve as consequences for responding in the absence of point feedback, the abstract stimuli were trained into the same 3-member equivalence class (A1-B1-C1). Afterwards, S+, S- discriminations were conducted where the A1 and A2 stimuli served as consequences for responses. Results indicate that the A1 stimulus took on the function of the relatively larger consequence. |
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| Generalization of More-than and Less-than consequential Functions to a Schedule Task |
| ROBERT WHELAN (National University of Ireland, Maynooth), Dermot Barnes-Holmes (National University of Ireland, Maynooth) |
| Abstract: Subjects were exposed to nonarbitrary and arbitrary relational training, designed to establish the 7-member linear-ranking relational network (described here with sequential, alphabetical characters) A<B<C<D<E<F<G. Subsequently, the D stimulus was paired with the gain of 10 tokens. Subjects were then told that for every 100 tokens they earned they would receive one chance ticket to win €100, which would be drawn randomly at the end of the study. In the generalization test, the D stimulus could always be obtained on an FI-15 s schedule, with the constraint that subjects had not responded more than 10 times during the 15-s interval. Pressing more than 10 times resulted in the presentation of the B stimulus if the background color of the screen was yellow, whereas if the background color of the screen was blue the F stimulus was produced. In general, response rates were consistently higher when the background color was blue, than when it was yellow, thus indicating a transformation of consequential functions to the schedule task (F was putatively “worth more” than B). |
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| The Effect of Motivation on the Emergence of Stimulus Equivalence |
| IRENE BOND (National University of Ireland, Galway), Ian T. Stewart (National University of Ireland, Galway), Dermot Barnes-Holmes (National University of Ireland, Maynooth), Louise A. Mchugh (National University of Ireland, Maynooth) |
| Abstract: The aim of the current study was to examine the effect of motivation on the emergence of stimulus equivalence. Subjects were divided into two groups. The first group was exposed to a high motivation condition followed by a low motivation condition, while the second group was exposed to these conditions in the reverse order. In the high motivation condition, subjects were told by the experimenter that the study was important, that they should concentrate and that their performance would be recorded and compared to that of others. They were then exposed to three computer presented blocks of training and testing for the formation of 3 3-member equivalence relations (A1-B1-C1, A2-B2-C2, A3-B3-C3). In the low motivation condition, subjects were told only that they should follow the instructions on the computer screen and were then exposed to computer presented training and testing for the formation of 3 3-member equivalence relations using a different set of nonsense syllables from that employed during the high motivation condition. In both high and low motivation conditions, subjects were exposed to three blocks of training and testing. Statistical analysis revealed significant effects for Motivational Condition, Order of conditions, and Training/Testing Block. |
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| Derived Transformation of Generalized Establishing Stimuli Functions |
| SONSOLES VALDIVIA-SALAS (University of New Mexico), Michael J. Dougher (University of New Mexico), M. Carmen Luciano Soriano (University of Almeria, Spain), Francisco Cabello Luque (Universidad de la Rioja) |
| Abstract: Motivation has been mostly defined as an Establishing Operations (Michael, 1982), that is, as an operation which changes the probability of occurrence of a particular behavior by altering the value of the consequences related with such behavior. On the other hand, from the functional-contextual approach to verbal events, motivation is described as a function that, like others, can be altered by verbal means (Hayes et al., 1998). Taking both paradigms, the present research is proposed to address the experimental study of the control by an establishing stimulus, that is, by an alteration of the value of the consequence related with such behavior. Adult subjects participated. The rate of responding related with two particular consequences was measured before and after pairing each consequence with a stimulus with aversive and reinforcing functions (respectively and within subject) directly acquired (B1 and B2). Afterward, another two consequences were paired with stimuli in equivalence with B1 and B2 (C1 and C2), and the rate of responding related with both consequences was measured. The results are analyzed in terms of an establishing stimuli effect. The benefits of this procedure and the future directions in the experimental study of verbal motivational functions are discussed. |
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