The present study extends previous research on self-control procedures and the transformation of stimulus functions. Using a multiple baseline design, participants were exposed to a relational responding task in which attempted to manipulate the functions of stimuli. They were exposed to a preference assessment, a naturalistic baseline, and a choice baseline before the relational training and testing were implemented. This procedure established contextual cues of more-than and less-than when paired with multiple exemplars of the stimuli during training. Re-exposure to the choice baseline was introduced in order to support the transformation of functions. Results are discussed regarding the alteration of preferences from the small, immediate reinforcer initially, to the larger, more delayed reinforcer following the intervention. Implications of the study and future research are also discussed.

Memory, or the ability to recall previously learned information, has been evaluated among different populations. Some previous research has utilized different forms of verbal prompts to assist participants in recalling associations. These verbal prompts can be categorized as simple or elaborative. Although previous research has indicated that both forms of verbal prompts are effective in teaching individuals to relate stimulus pairs, there is currently no research that compares these prompting methods. Therefore, the current study sought to compare simple and elaborative prompts for teaching a picture-association task with four typically developing preschool children. Data suggest that elaborative prompts were more effective in teaching associations across all participants and resulted in similar levels of maintenance at 1-week and 1-month probes. Keywords. associative learning, memory, verbal prompts

Psychologists interested in the study of language find that people are faster at making decisions about words that are related than they are at making decisions about words that are not related – an effect called semantic priming. This phenomenon has largely only been document in laboratory settings using natural languages as contest and real words as stimuli. The current study explores the relation between the semantic priming effect and a laboratory procedure designed to give rise to performances that can be described as linguistic. Six adult participants learned to partition a collection of eight stimuli into two sets of four stimuli. Following this, the subjects showed the semantic priming effect within a set of stimuli but not across sets. These data suggest that it may be possible to study linguistic phenomenon in laboratory-based procedures allowing better control and the ability to ask very precise questions about linguistic functioning.

The present study sought to identify the effects that derived relational training had on simulated gambling behavior with slot machines. Prior to conducting any relational training procedures, participants' relational responses in each contextual condition was probed. Each of the four backgrounds/conditions (red, blue, green, yellow) were presented with various stimuli from differing stimulus classes. Twenty trials were presented with no feedback for correct responding. Upon completion of the probes, pretest preference assessments were administered with blue and red slot machines being concurrently available for twenty trials then green and yellow slot machines doing the same. Following the pretest preference assessment, relational training began, here stimuli from each of the stimulus classes were presented on screen for three of the contextual conditions with the blue contextual condition left out to assess for possible derived relational responses. After completion, the second set of relational probes and posttest preference assessments began to assess if relational training altered the response allocation of slot machines and accuracy of responding during probes. After relational training, all participants showed an increase in response allocation to the red slot machine and a decrease to the blue. The yellow slot machine was selected increasingly with three participants while green was selected more often with one individual, one staying at the same number, and two selecting it less than in the pretest.

Individuals with autism often have deficient intraverbal repertoires. Previous research has found success in using a blocked trials procedure to facilitate discrimination training. A previous study (unpublished) from our laboratory extended this procedure to intraverbal training. The current study continued this line of research by exploring the outcomes of probing the criterion performance more frequently. Three children with autism, ages 7-13, participated. Eight question pairs were taught. One question was presented repeatedly until a specified number of consecutive correct responses occurred, then the other question was presented. Contingent on specific mastery criteria, the trial blocks were faded into smaller blocks until the questions were presented in quasi-random order. Between each step, a criterion probe was conducted to determine if further steps were necessary. The procedure has been successful for two of the three participants. Criterion probe performance showed that not all teaching steps were needed every time. The procedure may have facilitated acquisition over time, because the number of trials to mastery generally decreased over successive targets.

Os índices de evasão e fracasso escolar no ensino fundamental no Brasil, nos dias atuais, ainda são alarmantes. Torna-se importante o planejamento de procedimentos que minimizem as dificuldades envolvidas no aprendizado da leitura e escrita e potencializem a aquisição dessas habilidades. Nessa direção, vários grupos de pesquisadores têm focado seus estudos, através do paradigma de equivalência, visando identificar as variáveis relacionadas com a formação de classes de equivalência e suas relações com a leitura, trazendo nítidas implicações educacionais. Porém, quando a leitura com compreensão é adquirida, não significa necessariamente que o leitor esteja sob controle das unidades verbais menores do que a palavra. O presente estudo teve como objetivo investigar variáveis relevantes no processo da emergência do controle por unidades mínimas e, portanto, da leitura recombinativa, com cinco crianças pré-escolares. Foi utilizado o programa EQUIV, em que foram ensinadas as relações entre palavra ditada e palavra impressa correspondente (AC); em seguida testadas a leitura de novas palavras, formadas pela recombinação das unidades menores presentes nas palavras ensinadas previamente. O programa era constituído de vinte fases, que se dividiam em cinco tipos básicos de procedimentos: Pré-Teste, Pré-Treino, Treinos, Testes e Pós-testes. Os dados demonstraram que três participantes apresentaram desempenhos próximos de 100% nos Testes de Leitura Recombinativa, indicando transferência das funções discriminativas das unidades mínimas das palavras de treino para as novas palavras. Nos pós-testes todos os participantes foram capazes de nomear palavras e sílabas as quais não eram capazes de nomear anteriormente. Nos testes de Equivalência realizados ao final do programa, os mesmos três participantes obtiveram desempenhos próximos de 100%, o que indica leitura com compreensão. Os resultados do presente estudo indicam que a ausência dos treinos das relações entre palavra ditada e figuras (AB) e dos Testes de Equivalência, não impediram a emergência do controle por unidades mínimas, sugerindo um procedimento mais econômico para a obtenção da leitura recombinativa. Portanto, o ganho de se instalar o controle por unidades mínimas mais rapidamente, suscita questões teóricas e sugere pesquisas futuras nessa direção. / The percentage of drop outs in Brazilian primary school is still alarming. It is important, though, to arrange procedures that minimize difficulties in reading and writing and maximize the acquisition of these abilities. In this direction, many groups of researchers have focused in studies in which through equivalence paradigm they identify variables related with the formation of equivalences class and its relations with reading comprehension. But when reading comprehension is acquired, it does not necessarily means that the reader is under the control of minimal verbal units of the word. The present study aimed to investigate the relevant variables in the process of emergence of minimal unit control and recombinative reading, with five preschool children. Using EQUIV software, relations between oral and printed word (AC) were taught; afterwards, textual behavior of novel words were tested, which were composed by minimal units of the words taught previously. The program consisted of twenty experimental phases, divided into four basic types: Pretest, Pretraining, Training and Post- Test. The results showed that three participants presented recombinative reading closer to 100% correct performances, indicating transfer of discriminative functions of the minimal units trained to new words. In Post- Tests, all participants developed repertoire of naming oral words and syllables that werent able to name before. In Equivalence Tests applied in the final phase, the same three participants obtained performance closer to 100%, indicating reading comprehension. The results of the present study point that the absence of training relations between oral word and picture (AB) and Equivalence Tests, didnt inhibit the emergence of control by minimal units, suggesting economy in the procedures of recombinative reading. Hence, the quicker installment of minimal verbal units control than previous studies generates theoretical questions and suggests future researches in this direction.

Os índices de evasão e fracasso escolar no ensino fundamental no Brasil, nos dias atuais, ainda são alarmantes. Torna-se importante o planejamento de procedimentos que minimizem as dificuldades envolvidas no aprendizado da leitura e escrita e potencializem a aquisição dessas habilidades. Nessa direção, vários grupos de pesquisadores têm focado seus estudos, através do paradigma de equivalência, visando identificar as variáveis relacionadas com a formação de classes de equivalência e suas relações com a leitura, trazendo nítidas implicações educacionais. Porém, quando a leitura com compreensão é adquirida, não significa necessariamente que o leitor esteja sob controle das unidades verbais menores do que a palavra. O presente estudo teve como objetivo investigar variáveis relevantes no processo da emergência do controle por unidades mínimas e, portanto, da leitura recombinativa, com cinco crianças pré-escolares. Foi utilizado o programa EQUIV, em que foram ensinadas as relações entre palavra ditada e palavra impressa correspondente (AC); em seguida testadas a leitura de novas palavras, formadas pela recombinação das unidades menores presentes nas palavras ensinadas previamente. O programa era constituído de vinte fases, que se dividiam em cinco tipos básicos de procedimentos: Pré-Teste, Pré-Treino, Treinos, Testes e Pós-testes. Os dados demonstraram que três participantes apresentaram desempenhos próximos de 100% nos Testes de Leitura Recombinativa, indicando transferência das funções discriminativas das unidades mínimas das palavras de treino para as novas palavras. Nos pós-testes todos os participantes foram capazes de nomear palavras e sílabas as quais não eram capazes de nomear anteriormente. Nos testes de Equivalência realizados ao final do programa, os mesmos três participantes obtiveram desempenhos próximos de 100%, o que indica leitura com compreensão. Os resultados do presente estudo indicam que a ausência dos treinos das relações entre palavra ditada e figuras (AB) e dos Testes de Equivalência, não impediram a emergência do controle por unidades mínimas, sugerindo um procedimento mais econômico para a obtenção da leitura recombinativa. Portanto, o ganho de se instalar o controle por unidades mínimas mais rapidamente, suscita questões teóricas e sugere pesquisas futuras nessa direção. / The percentage of drop outs in Brazilian primary school is still alarming. It is important, though, to arrange procedures that minimize difficulties in reading and writing and maximize the acquisition of these abilities. In this direction, many groups of researchers have focused in studies in which through equivalence paradigm they identify variables related with the formation of equivalences class and its relations with reading comprehension. But when reading comprehension is acquired, it does not necessarily means that the reader is under the control of minimal verbal units of the word. The present study aimed to investigate the relevant variables in the process of emergence of minimal unit control and recombinative reading, with five preschool children. Using EQUIV software, relations between oral and printed word (AC) were taught; afterwards, textual behavior of novel words were tested, which were composed by minimal units of the words taught previously. The program consisted of twenty experimental phases, divided into four basic types: Pretest, Pretraining, Training and Post- Test. The results showed that three participants presented recombinative reading closer to 100% correct performances, indicating transfer of discriminative functions of the minimal units trained to new words. In Post- Tests, all participants developed repertoire of naming oral words and syllables that werent able to name before. In Equivalence Tests applied in the final phase, the same three participants obtained performance closer to 100%, indicating reading comprehension. The results of the present study point that the absence of training relations between oral word and picture (AB) and Equivalence Tests, didnt inhibit the emergence of control by minimal units, suggesting economy in the procedures of recombinative reading. Hence, the quicker installment of minimal verbal units control than previous studies generates theoretical questions and suggests future researches in this direction.

Between 1% and 1.4% of people who engage in gambling behaviors lead to disordered or pathological gambling (Whiting & Dixon, 2015), while 44% of all money spent on legal gambling is done so with slot machines (Choliz, 2010). Various behavioral concepts have been theorized as a possible source of gambling addition; losses disguised as wins (LDWs), near-miss, gamblers’ fallacy, illusions of control, and verbally constructed self-rules related to these topics. The current study sought to extend the previous research on condition discrimination in altering slot machine preference while also analyzing the effects of vocalized self-rules during slot machine selection. Conclusions are drawn regarding results comparing cumulative selection to various vocal statement categories. Limitations are expressed and future research is suggested.

Memory-trace theories of remembering suggest that performance in delayed matching-to-sample (DMTS) procedures depends on a memory trace that degrades with time. By contrast, the theory of direct remembering suggests that increasing the delay between sample and comparison stimuli in DMTS procedures is functionally equivalent to decreasing the disparity between sample stimuli. The present dissertation tested this assumption by assessing the degree to which changes in the frequency of reinforcement for correct choices biased the distribution of choice responses in a conditional-discrimination procedure. Seven pigeons responded under a temporal-discrimination procedure in which temporal sample-stimuli were categorized as being of either short or long duration by a response to a corresponding comparison key. In the sample-stimulus disparity condition, the disparity between the sample stimuli (difference between the short and long samples) was manipulated. In the retention-interval condition, the delay between sample offset and presentation of the comparison stimuli was manipulated. Importantly, the same general procedure was used across conditions, facilitating conclusions regarding functional equivalence of the two manipulations. The theory of direct remembering suggests that the relation between sensitivity of behavior to changes in reinforcer frequency and discriminability (accuracy) should be similar in the sample-stimulus disparity and retention-interval condition. The results showed that discriminability decreased with both the sample-stimulus disparity and retention-interval manipulations. Overall estimates of sensitivity were similar to those obtained previously. There was, however, no difference in the estimates of sensitivity as a function of discriminability during either the sample-stimulus disparity or retention-interval conditions; sensitivity was independent of discriminability. These results are in contrast to most previous reports, and are interpreted in terms of the use of temporal-sample stimuli in the current experiment. Further analyses of the choice-response data showed that the effects of variation in reinforcer ratios differed across conditions as a function of trial type and trial difficulty. These results suggest the need for careful consideration of behavioral outcomes at several levels of analysis when assessing functional equivalence of experimental manipulations. The potential benefits and hindrances of characterization of behavioral outcomes in terms of functional equivalence are discussed.

A conditional discrimination training procedure was used to establish stimulus-stimulus relations that might lead to the emergence of relations that define playing by ear. The participants were four college students. Overall, the results varied across participants. Of the 3 participants who received Training 1 (hear-note-name/select-key), all 3 participants acquired that relation. Out of those 3 participants, 2 participants showed emergence of the hear-see-key-pressed/say-note-name relation after Training 1. Of the 3 participants who received Training 2, (hear-note-name/select-tone), 2 participants acquired that relation for at least one set. Out of those 3 participants, 1 participant showed emergence of the hear-tone/say-note-name relation. One out of three participants was successful in correctly playing a sequence of four notes by ear at the end of the study. One participant did not complete the study due to availability conflicts. The overall results can suggest that the relations used in this study should be taken into account when training someone to play by ear. However, the current data do not allow us to conclude whether it is necessary to teach or test all of these relations in order to teach playing by ear.