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Effects of Between-classes Negative Relations Training on Equivalence Class Formation across Training Structures

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Abstract

This study compared three three-choice matching to sample (MTS) procedures on their probability to form equivalence relations for each of the three training structures: one to many (OTM), many to one (MTO), and linear series (LS). All three MTS procedures established the same within-class positive relations, but they differed in the number of between-class negative relations included in their baseline trials, with two in the standard (STD) matching procedure, one in the semi-standard (SEMI) procedure, and none in the altered (ALT) procedure. Positive and negative control baseline relations were assessed by using trials including novel stimuli or a blank comparison stimulus before symmetry and equivalence performance testing. The matching procedures did not differ in the rate of positive control that they yielded, but they did in the rate of negative control. The number of between-class negative relations in the baseline trials was directly related to the probability of equivalence class formation. However, this relation was different across training structures: it was lineal for the OTM structure, did not differ between the STD and SEMI procedures for the MTO structure, and did not differ between the SEMI and ALT procedures for the LS structure. Testing of positive baseline control by means of a blank comparison stimulus as an incorrect choice and testing of the negative baseline control by using novel stimuli as the correct choice proved more sensitive to the matching procedures and most discriminative between participants who formed equivalence relations and those who did not.

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Author Note

The authors want to thank to two anonymous reviewers for their comments and suggestions on a previous version of the manuscript, helping to improve the content and presentation of the manuscript in several crucial aspects.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Facultad de Psicología, Fundación Universitaria Konrad Lorenz, Carrera 9 Bis No 62-43, Bogotá, Colombia

    Elberto A. Plazas & Carlos-Wilcen Villamil

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  1. Elberto A. Plazas
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  2. Carlos-Wilcen Villamil
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Correspondence to Elberto A. Plazas.

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Funding

This study was conducted as a part of Project #55105141, which was funded by Fundación Universitaria Konrad Lorenz.

Conflicts of Interest

Elberto A. Plazas declares that he has no conflict of interest. Carlos Wilcen Villamil declares that he has no conflict of interest.

Ethical Approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments of comparable ethical standards.

Informed Consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Plazas, E.A., Villamil, CW. Effects of Between-classes Negative Relations Training on Equivalence Class Formation across Training Structures. Psychol Rec 66, 489–501 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40732-016-0189-9

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