Revisiting the use of two choices in the matching-to-sample procedure.

The use of two choices in the matching-to-sample (MTS) procedure has been discouraged in the literature because it may lead to "reject control," resulting in failures to establish equivalence classes. In the present study, reject control was prevented during training with the two-choice MTS procedure by presenting the correct comparison with one of five possible incorrect comparisons across trials. This procedure was compared to a six-choice MTS procedure, in which these same six comparison stimuli were presented simultaneously across trials. In Experiment 1, conditional discrimination training and emergent relations testing maintained the same number of comparison choices, two or six. Experiment 2 assessed whether training with two or six choices would result in successful tests under a different configuration from the one with which training occurred (i.e., six or two choices, respectively). In Experiment 3, the conditions were the same as in Experiment 2, but minimal instructions were given to the participants. The results showed the establishment of equivalence classes in all test conditions, thus demonstrating success of the different training conditions. The two-choice MTS procedure appears to be at least as effective as the six-choice procedure for training conditional relations and establishing equivalence classes.

Reading comprehension with the Go/No-Go procedure with compound stimuli.

The present study investigated whether the Go/No-Go procedure with compound stimuli produces emergent relations among dictated words (A), pictures (B), and printed words (C) and the emergence of textual behavior (CD) using a multiple probe design across word sets. Three preschool children were exposed to 4 phases: (1) pretests for BC, CB, and CD relations, (2) pretraining with known stimuli, (3) AB and AC training, and (4) posttests for BC, CB, and CD relations. During AB and AC training, responses to A1B1, A2B2, A1C1, and A2C2 compound stimuli, but not to A1B2, A2B1, A1C2, and A2C1, were reinforced. The results showed that all participants met the learning criterion and demonstrated emergence of BC and CB relations (i.e., relations between pictures and printed words), and CD relations (i.e., textual behavior) after training. These results suggest that the Go/No-Go procedure with compound stimuli is an effective alternative for establishing reading comprehension.

Computational Simulation of Equivalence Class Formation Using the go/no-go Procedure with Compound Stimuli.

Research about equivalence has commonly utilized human participants as experimental subjects. More recently, computational models have been capable of reproducing performances observed in experiments with humans. The computational model often utilized is called RELNET, and it simulates training and testing trials of conditional relations using the matching-to-sample procedure (MTS). The differentiation between sample stimulus and comparison stimuli, indispensable in MTS, implies operational difficulties for simulations. For this reason, new studies seek to utilize alternative procedures to MTS, which do not differentiate the functions of the antecedent stimuli. This work evaluated the possibility of developing a new computational model to simulate equivalence class formation using the go/no-go procedure with compound stimuli. In Experiment 1, artificial neural networks were utilized to simulate training of the AB and BC relations as well as the testing of the AC relation. The results showed that four out of six runs demonstrated equivalence class formation. Experiment 2 evaluated whether the additional class training performed in Experiment 1, which was analogous to the simulation of pre-experimental experience of human participants, would be essential for simulating the establishment of equivalence classes. It was found that it was not possible to simulate equivalence class formation without the additional class training. Altogether, the experiments show that it is possible to simulate equivalence class formation using the go/no-go procedure with compound stimuli and that it is necessary to conduct additional class training. The model developed is, therefore, an alternative to RELNET for the study of equivalence relations using computational simulations.

Relational discrimination by pigeons in a go/no-go procedure with compound stimuli: a methodological note.

A go/no-go procedure with compound stimuli typically establishes emergent behavior that parallels in structure and typical outcome that of conventional tests for symmetric, transitive, and equivalence relations in normally capable adults. The present study employed a go/no-go compound stimulus procedure with pigeons. During training, pecks to two-component compounds A1B1, A2B2, B1C1, and B2C2 were followed by food. Pecks to compounds A1B2, A2B1, B1C2, and B2C1 re-started the 30-s stimulus presentation interval. The absence of pecking to those compounds for 30 s ended the trial. Subsequent tests presented these components in new spatial arrangements and/or in recombinative compounds that together corresponded to conventional tests of symmetry, transitivity, and equivalence: B1A1, B2A2, C1B1, C2B2, A1C1, A2C2, C1A1, C2A2 vs. B1A2, B2A1, C1B2, C2B1, A1C2, A2C1, C1A2, C2A1 (positive vs. negative instances of symmetric, transitive, and equivalence relations). On tests for symmetric relations, all pigeons behaved in a manner consistent with training on both positive instances (i.e., by responding) and on negative instances (i.e., by not responding). By contrast, the pigeons' behavior on tests for transitivity and equivalence was inconsistent with baseline training, thus failing to show the recombinative discrimination performance that is typical of normally capable humans when trained and tested using the go/no-go procedure with compound stimuli.

Preferência emergente por bebidas: uma replicação sistemática de Barnes-Holmes, Keane, Barnes-Holmes e Smeets (2000) / Emergent drink preferences: a systematic replication of Barnes-Holmes, Keane, Barnes-Holmes and Smeets (2000)

No presente estudo foi realizada uma replicação sistemática de Barnes-Holmes et al. (2000), com adultos e crianças. Foram treinadas as relações condicionais AB e BC com o procedimento MTS. Os estímulos As eram duas palavras com função emotiva (por ex. CÂNCER e FERIADO), Bs eram duas sílabas sem sentido (VEK e ZID) e Cs eram os rótulos X e Y. Após o Treino, duas bebidas comercializadas como produtos de um mesmo sabor, porém de marcas diferentes foram apresentadas cada uma com um rótulo (X e Y). Os participantes deveriam provar as bebidas e escolher a mais "agradável". Em seguida, o mesmo teste foi conduzido, mas com a inversão dos rótulos. Por fim, foi realizado um teste de equivalência (AC e CA). Os resultados indicaram que as respostas de escolher a mais "agradável" entre duas bebidas semelhantes foram controladas apenas pelo sabor das bebidas independentemente da função emotiva dos rótulos.(AU)

The present study was a systematic replication of Barnes-Holmes et al. (2000), with adults and children as subjects. First, the conditional relations AB and BC were trained with MTS procedure. The A stimuli were two emotive words (e.g. CANCER and HOLIDAY), B were two nonsense syllables and C were the labels X and Y. After training, two soft drinks with similar flavors were presented with one of the two labels. Subjects were required to choose which one was the most pleasant. After that, the same test was conducted except that the labels were changed. The subjects were then tested for equivalence relations between emotive words and labels. The results indicate the chosen responses between two soft drinks were controlled by flavor independently of its label.(AU)

Emergent conditional relations in a Go/No-Go procedure: figure-ground and stimulus-position compound relations.

Past research has demonstrated emergent conditional relations using a go/no-go procedure with pairs of figures displayed side-by-side on a computer screen. The present study sought to extend applications of this procedure. In Experiment 1, we evaluated whether emergent conditional relations could be demonstrated when two-component stimuli were displayed in figure-ground relationships-abstract figures displayed on backgrounds of different colors. Five normally capable adults participated. During training, each two-component stimulus was presented successively. Responses emitted in the presence of some stimulus pairs (A1B1, A2B2, A3B3, B1C1, B2C2 and B3C3) were reinforced, whereas responses emitted in the presence of other pairs (A1B2, A1B3, A2B1, A2B3, A3B1, A3B2, B1C2, B1C3, B2C1, B2C3, B3C1 and B3C2) were not. During tests, new configurations (AC and CA) were presented, thus emulating structurally the matching-to-sample tests employed in typical equivalence studies. All participants showed emergent relations consistent with stimulus equivalence during testing. In Experiment 2, we systematically replicated the procedures with stimulus compounds consisting of four figures (A1, A2, C1 and C2) and two locations (left - B1 and right - B2). All 6 normally capable adults exhibited emergent stimulus-stimulus relations. Together, these experiments show that the go/no-go procedure is a potentially useful alternative for studying emergent conditional relations when matching-to-sample is procedurally cumbersome or impossible to use.

Conditional relations with compound abstract stimuli using a go/no-go procedure.

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether emergent conditional relations could be established with a go/no-go procedure using compound abstract stimuli. The procedure was conducted with 6 adult humans. During training, responses emitted in the presence of certain stimulus compounds (A1B1, A2B2, A3B3, B1C1, B2C2, and B3C3) were followed by reinforcing consequences (points); responses emitted in the presence of other compounds (A1B2, A1B3, A2B1, A2B3, A3B1, A3B2, B1C2, B1C3, B2C1, B2C3, B3C1 and B3C2) were not (i.e., extinction). During subsequent tests of emergent relations, new configurations (BA, CB, AC, and CA relations) were presented, formed by the recombination of training stimuli and structurally resembling tests usually employed in stimulus equivalence studies. Results showed that all 6 participants displayed immediate emergence of relations consistent with symmetry. Four participants exhibited emergent relations consistent with both transitivity and equivalence. These results indicate that a go/no-go procedure with compound stimuli can establish emergent conditional relations, thus providing a procedural alternative to the matching-to-sample procedures commonly used in studies of stimulus equivalence.

Infravermelho de baixo custo para estabelecer respostas de focinhar em ratos / Low-cost infrared device to establish nose-poking response in rats

O presente trabalho descreve um infravermelho de baixo custo para estabelecer respostas de focinhar em ratos. O equipamento foi facilmente acoplado à caixa de condicionamento operante e permitiu que as respostas de focinhar fossem emitidas no mesmo local no qual foi colocado um pequeno alto-falante. O teste de sua efetividade para produzir discriminações foi conduzido a partir de um procedimento de discriminação simples sucessiva entre um som contínuo e um som intermitente. Os resultados do presente estudo demonstraram a efetividade do equipamento analisado para estabelecer discriminações simples sucessivas em ratos. Futuros estudos poderão avaliar a efetividade do equipamento para estabelecer discriminações mais complexas

The present study describes a low cost infrared device developed to establish rats' nose poking responses. The infrared device was easily adapted to operant chamber and detected nose poking responses that were emitted in the same location as used for the antecedent stimuli. Acquisition of a simple successive discrimination between one intermittent sound and one continuous sound was analyzed using this device. The results suggested that the infrared device was an effective operandum for establishing auditory simple successive discriminations in rats. Future studies should verify if discriminations that are more complex could be established in rats with this kind of device

Infravermelho de baixo custo para estabelecer respostas de focinhar em ratos / Low-cost infrared device to establish nose-poking response in rats

O presente trabalho descreve um infravermelho de baixo custo para estabelecer respostas de focinhar em ratos. O equipamento foi facilmente acoplado à caixa de condicionamento operante e permitiu que as respostas de focinhar fossem emitidas no mesmo local no qual foi colocado um pequeno alto-falante. O teste de sua efetividade para produzir discriminações foi conduzido a partir de um procedimento de discriminação simples sucessiva entre um som contínuo e um som intermitente. Os resultados do presente estudo demonstraram a efetividade do equipamento analisado para estabelecer discriminações simples sucessivas em ratos. Futuros estudos poderão avaliar a efetividade do equipamento para estabelecer discriminações mais complexas (AU)