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Probability of Equivalence Formation: Familiar Stimuli and Training Sequence

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Abstract

The present study was conducted to show how responding in accord with equivalence relations changes as a function of position of familiar stimuli, pictures, and with the use of nonsense syllables in an MTO-training structure. Fifty college students were tested for responding in accord with equivalence in an AB, CB, DB, and EB training structure. The results showed that familiar stimuli presented as A-stimuli gave the highest yields (10 of 10 participants), whereas introducing the pictures at the end of the training (as E-stimuli) gave lower yields (5 of 10), and using nonsense syllables gave even lower yields (4 of 10). In addition, when all stimuli were Greek/Arabic letters only, 3 of 10 participants responded in accord with equivalence. When familiar stimuli were A-stimuli, but with a requirement of using keys on the keyboard, only 4 of 10 subjects responded in accord with equivalence. Furthermore, there was a high correlation between responding in accord with equivalence and reports of class consistent naming. Reaction time data also showed a typical pattern, in which there was an increase from training to test and a decrease during testing.

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  1. Akershus University College, PO Box 372, 1301, Sandvika, Norway

    Erik Arntzen

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  1. Erik Arntzen
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Correspondence to Erik Arntzen.

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Some results were presented in a paper at the ABA convention in Washington DC, May 2000. Thanks to Per Holth and Lanny Fields for comments on parts of an earlier draft and two anonymous reviewers for comments and suggestions during the reviewing process. I also thank Dag Erik Eilertsen for statistical assistance.

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Arntzen, E. Probability of Equivalence Formation: Familiar Stimuli and Training Sequence. Psychol Rec 54, 275–291 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03395474

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