Association for Behavior Analysis International

Research has identified several early learner verbal behavior developmental cusps related to the conditioning of new reinforcers. Conditioned reinforcement for adult faces, conditioning reinforcement for adult voices, generalized imitation, and conditioned reinforcement for both objects and pictures are some of the verbal foundational cusps necessary for learning and language acquisition. In this symposium, three papers will be presented demonstrating the effects of protocols on the acquisition of the behavioral cusps and the learning outcomes that follow. Two studies examined the effects of individual protocols to condition faces or voices. Findings showed increases in observing responses for attending to faces and voices, following the conditioning procedures. In addition, participants showed a decrease in trials to criterion, demonstrating they learned faster following the acquisition of these cusps. The third paper discusses the effects of simultaneously rotating protocols that establish conditioned reinforcement for observing faces, voices, pictures, objects as well as see-do correspondence. Researchers found an increase in the number of novel imitative responses and observing responses across different areas of preverbal foundations. Although children typically acquire these cusps under natural environmental contingencies, for those who do not, these intensive protocols and procedures can be implemented to induce new cusps, which are critical for learning and further development.

Prerequisite competencies should include a background in the practices and principles of Applied Behavior Analysis. Audience members should be familiar with data collection procedures and the use of reinforcement.

Conditioned reinforcement for listening to adult voices is considered to be one of the earliest capabilities involved in language development and social functioning. It appears necessary for an individual to come in contact with the acoustical properties of speech in order to become a listener. In this study we paired videos with vocal stimuli to overcome difficulties encountered in implementing a voice conditioning protocol paired with edibles. The intervention was a conditioning procedure based on alternating pairings of videos with voices and test sessions completed solely with voices. At the outset, all of the intervals included pairing videos with human voices, gradually fading out the video component across intervention phases. A multiple probe design with 3 pre-school children with Autism Spectrum disorder and comorbidities was implemented by evaluating the participant’s observing responses to voices and environmental sounds and the selection of listening to voice recordings. The data suggested that conditioning voices with videos was effective in increasing the intervals of listening to voice recordings and the number of participants’ observing responses to voices and sounds. The results showed potential applications of using videos as reinforcing stimuli for conditioning voices in children who lack conditioned reinforcement for voices.