Matrix training techniques arrange instruction for stimulus relations that facilitate emergent responding to novel stimulus arrangements, which is a phenomenon known as recombinative generalization. The current study compared two common matrix training approaches, an overlapping (OV) design and a non-overlapping (NOV) design, with respect to arranging relations targeted for training. Two, typically-developing toddlers were taught compound action-object labels in either an OV or NOV matrix training design. Results suggest that an OV matrix design facilitates recombinative generalization more effectively than a NOV design.

Teaching using matrix programming has been shown to result in recombinative generalization. However, this procedure has not been compared to more standard discrete trial training formats such as DTT. This study compared acquisition and recombinative generalization of two-component tacts using each procedure. Matrix training was found to be more efficient than the DTT format. Half the amount of teaching was required to teach roughly the same number of targets using matrix training as compared to DTT.

Verbal behavior is a critical repertoire for children with autism spectrum disorder to acquire. Tacts—verbal behavior evoked by nonverbal stimuli—are important for communicating about the world around oneself. Noun-verb tacts are part of a robust tact repertoire and may be addressed during applied behavior analytic intervention. When acquiring noun-verb tacts, it is important that the speaker learn to respond to many variations of stimuli like novel combinations of learned nouns and verbs, which is called recombinative generalization. One strategy to teach multi-component targets, such as the noun-verb tact, and lead to recombinative generalization is matrix training. Matrix training is a framework utilized to arrange targets that can be combined in order to facilitate recombinative generalization by teaching a subset of combinations and then probing others. With three children with ASD, we used matrix training and evaluated the acquisition of trained and novel combinations of noun-verb tacts with GIFs as stimuli arranged in three matrices. We used a concurrent multiple probe design across sets, and our results indicated that all participants acquired trained noun-verb tact targets in the presence of the GIFs. The degree of recombinative generalization varied across participants, but each participant demonstrated recombinative generalization with some stimuli. We analyzed responding during generalization probes to identify possible sources of stimulus control. We discussed the errors that were emitted when testing for recombinative generalization and provided suggestions for future research on matrix training and recombinative generalization.

Recombinative generalization is a generative outcome that involves responding to novel stimulus combinations, and it can be facilitated through an instructional approach called matrix training. A learner's history with constituent stimuli and the arrangement of combination stimuli within the instructional matrix may affect the likelihood of recombinative generalization. To investigate this further, the current project assessed recombinative generalization with novel combinations of abstract stimuli by programming specific training histories for undergraduate student participants. The matrix training conditions were: (a) trained constituents with overlap training, (b) untrained constituents with overlap training, (c) trained constituents with nonoverlap training, and (d) untrained constituents with nonoverlap training. We evaluated whether and the extent to which recombinative generalization occurred in each matrix training condition in comparison to a condition that included training the constituents and providing a word-order rule. Finally, we compared the training trials in experimental conditions to directly training all constituents and combinations. The results suggested both overlap conditions and the trained constituents with nonoverlap condition produced recombinative generalization, and the trained constituents with nonoverlap condition was the most efficient. These results could inform the training order and stimulus arrangements practitioners employ to program for recombinative generalization.

A common goal of instructional techniques is to teach skills effectively and efficiently. Matrix training techniques are both effective and efficient as they allow for the emergence of untrained responding to novel stimulus arrangements, a phenomenon known as recombinative generalization. However, it is unclear which type of matrix arrangement best promotes recombinative generalization. The current study compared two common matrix training approaches, an overlapping (OV) design and a non-overlapping (NOV) design, with respect to arranging relations targeted for training. We conducted a replication evaluation of a Wilshire and Toussaint study, and taught two typically-developing preschoolers compound object-action labels in Spanish and used either an OV or NOV matrix training design. Results from both studies demonstrated the participant trained with an OV design produced recombinative generalization and participants trained with a NOV design produced significantly low levels of emergence or none at all. These results suggest that an OV matrix design facilitates recombinative generalization more effectively than a NOV design. Implications for instructional arrangements are discussed.

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Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-02T19:44:10Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 4006.pdf: 1538521 bytes, checksum: a98a7359983f1a339fbb240a7c38e199 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-07-08 / Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais / An important issue in the field of verbal behavior is how a person understands and learns to behave according to verbal commands or instructions. The stimulus equivalence paradigm, as a model of symbolic behavior, may explain the origins of the comprehension of instructions. Following new instructions can result from the recombination of subunits of previously learned instructions. This work reports three studies that investigated questions related to instructional control. In the first two studies, the general objective was to establish pseudo-phrases (action-object) as members of equivalence classes with actions, objects and abstract pictures; and to verify whether, when employed with an instructional function, the pseudo-phrases and the abstract pictures would control the participants responding. Additionally, the studies asked whether participants would follow new (recombined) instructions. The third study investigated whether the overlapping of elements of pseudo-phrases in teaching phase would favor generalized instruction-following. In the studies 1 and 2, twelve of the thirteen participants learned the auditory-visual conditional discriminations among spoken pseudo-phrases and actions presented in videotapes and among the same sentences and abstract pictures. Probes for class formation showed that the same twelve children comprehended the sentences, relating, through equivalence, the pseudo-phrases, the actions and the abstract pictures. Similar performances were observed with the pictures, suggesting that they had been comprehended and that they could work as substitutes for (or equivalent to) oral instructions. However, none of the children followed new (recombined) instructions, although all children responded under partial control of what was previously taught (object or action). In Study 3, four participants learned auditory-visual conditional discriminations (Condition 1) among spoken pseudophrases and videotapes (each showing action-object) and followed oral instructions in the tests of the instructional control, but only one participant followed recombined sentences. Four other participants learned to follow the experimental instructions via execution of the action related to object in the simultaneous presence of the auditory stimulus and of the corresponding videotape (Condition 2), but did not present recombinative generalization. Seven of the eight participants followed new instructions in the pre-test of new training matrixes with overlapping of the elements of the sentences previously learned (that is, their responding was under the control of elements of the compound). As a whole, the results represent a systematic replication of previous results indicating that class formation could promote the comprehension of sentences and facilitate the instruction-following behavior when the sentences are used with instructional function. Regarding the development of stimulus control by subunits of these complex stimuli, the evidences were very fragile, but when it occurred, the recombination was clearly related to systematic training with overlapping of elements in different sentences, thus suggesting the relevance of this procedure as an effective teaching condition. / Uma das questões de interesse no campo do comportamento verbal diz respeito a como as pessoas entendem e passam a se comportar de acordo com comandos ou instruções verbais. O paradigma de equivalência de estímulos, como um modelo do comportamento simbólico, pode contribuir para esclarecer a origem da compreensão de instruções. O seguimento de instruções novas, por sua vez, pode resultar da recombinação de subunidades de instruções previamente aprendidas. Este trabalho relata três estudos que investigaram questões relativas ao controle instrucional. Nos dois primeiros o objetivo geral foi estabelecer pseudofrases (ação-objeto) como membros de classes de equivalência com ações, objetos e figuras abstratas e verificar se quando empregadas com função instrucional, as pseudossentenças e as figuras abstratas controlariam o responder dos participantes. Adicionalmente, os estudos perguntaram se os participantes seguiriam novas instruções (recombinadas). O terceiro estudo investigou se a sobreposição de elementos de pseudofrases durante o ensino favoreceria o seguimento de instrução generalizado. Nos Estudos 1 e 2, 12 dos 13 participantes aprenderam discriminações condicionais auditivo-visuais entre pseudofrases faladas e ações filmadas em videoteipe e entre as mesmas sentenças e figuras abstratas. Sondas de formação de classes mostraram que as mesmas 12 crianças compreenderam as sentenças, relacionando, por equivalência, as pseudofrases, as ações e as figuras abstratas. Desempenhos similares foram observados diante das figuras, o que sugere que passaram a ser compreendidas e que podiam funcionar como substitutos (equivalentes) das instruções orais. Entretanto, nenhuma criança seguiu novas instruções (recombinadas), embora todas responderam sob controle parcial do que foi previamente ensinado (o objeto ou a ação). No Estudo 3, quatro participantes aprenderam discriminações condicionais auditivo-visuais (Condição 1) entre pseudossentenças faladas e videoteipes (ação-objeto) e seguiram as instruções orais nos testes de controle instrucional, mas apenas um participante seguiu sentenças recombinadas. Outros quatro participantes aprenderam a seguir as instruções experimentais via execução da ação em relação ao objeto diante da apresentação simultânea do estímulo auditivo e do videoteipe correspondente (Condição 2), mas não apresentaram generalização recombinativa. Sete dos oito participantes seguiram novas instruções nos pré-testes de novas matrizes de ensino com sobreposição dos elementos das sentenças previamente aprendidas (o responder estava sob controle de elementos do composto). No conjunto, os resultados constituem uma replicação sistemática de resultados prévios indicando que a formação de classes pode promover a compreensão de sentenças e favorecer seu seguimento, quando usadas com função instrucional. Quanto ao desenvolvimento de controle por subunidades dos estímulos complexos, as evidências foram bastante frágeis, mas quando ocorreu, a recombinação esteve claramente relacionada ao treino sistemático com sobreposição de elementos em diferentes sentenças, sugerindo a relevância dos procedimentos como uma condição de ensino eficaz.