Higher-order control over equivalence classes and response sequences : an experimental analogue of simple syntactical relations

UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
Edelgard Wulfert (Creator)
Institution
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )
Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/
Advisor
Steven C. Hayes

Abstract: The purpose of the present research was to investigate the emergence of untrained response sequences under complex environmental control. Eight adult humans were taught conditional discriminations in a matching-to-sample format that led to the formation of two four-member equivalence classes. When subjects were taught to pick one comparison stimulus from each class in a set order, they then ordered all other members of the equivalence classes without explicit training. When the ordering response itself was brought under conditional control, conditional sequencing also transferred to all other members of the two equivalence classes. When the conditional discriminations in the matching-to-sample task were brought under higher-order conditional control, the eight stimulus members were arranged into four conditional equivalence classes. Both ordering and conditional ordering transferred in an orderly fashion to all members of the four conditional equivalence classes. For each subject, 64 untrained sequences were shown to have emerged from four trained sequence responses.

Additional Information

Publication
Dissertation
Language: English
Date: 1987
Subjects
Control (Psychology)
Psychological tests
Psychology $x Research

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