A transformation of discriminative functions in accordance with equivalence relations

Year
2005
Type(s)
Author(s)
Dymond, Simon and Whelan, Robert and Smeets, Paul M
Source
European Journal of Behavior Analysis, 6(2): 111—123, 2005
Url
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15021149.2005.11434255

In two experiments each consisting of six phases, two adults and six 5- to 6-year-old children were taught A-B and A-C conditional discriminations and were tested for the derivation of two combinatorially entailed equivalence relations (B1-C1 and B2-C2). Next, the behavioural function of clapping hands was reinforced in the presence of B1 and waving was reinforced in the presence of B2. Finally, subjects were tested for a transformation of functions where they were required to first clap or wave and were then presented with the C stimuli. It was predicted that subjects would select C1 having clapped, and C2 having waved on the preceding task (i.e., if clap, then pick C1/if wave, pick C2). All subjects demonstrated the predicted performance. Present findings are discussed from a relational frame perspective with an emphasis on the nature of derived transformation effects.