The Transfer of Specific and General Consequential Functions Through Simple and Conditional Equivalence Relations
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Discussion
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Implication
Experimental study demonstrates transfer of reinforcement and punishment functions through stimulus equivalence relations, indicating context-dependent behavioral control.
Key Points
- To examine how reinforcement and punishment functions transfer across simple and conditional stimulus equivalence relations.
- Conducted four behavioral experiments using arbitrary visual stimuli trained via matching-to-sample tasks to establish three-member equivalence classes (N=9 in Experiment 1; N=4 in Experiment 2; N=3 in Experiment 3).
- Conditioned reinforcement or punishment functions by pairing visual stimuli with verbal feedback during sorting tasks, evaluating transfer with and without preceding equivalence testing and under contextual control.
- Assessed specific versus general function transfer in Experiment 4 by introducing novel feedback stimuli during the transfer test.
- Trained consequential functions transferred through equivalence classes without additional training in 8 of 9 subjects in Experiment 1, and in 3 of 4 subjects prior to formal equivalence testing in Experiment 2.
- Contextual cues successfully modulated stimulus valence, allowing the same stimulus to function as either a reinforcer or punisher in 2 of 3 subjects in Experiment 3.
- Subjects in Experiment 4 treated novel stimuli as consequences, but the directional behavioral impact depended on the transfer of specific consequential functions through established equivalence classes.
Cite This Study
Hayes et al. (1991) studied this question.