A Laboratory Model for Studying Response‐class Hierarchies

Abstract

If the members of a functional response class occur in a predictable order, a response-class hierarchy is said to exist. Although this topic has received some attention in the applied literature, it remains relatively understudied. The purpose of the current investigation was to develop an analogue model of a response-class hierarchy. Children with and without developmental disabilities were first taught three responses in an attempt to develop a functional response class ordered along the dimension of response effort (Experiment 1). Following response-class development, an extinction analysis was used to determine whether the responses were hierarchically related (Experiment 2). Results of Experiment 1 indicated that a functional response class was developed, and that there was a relation between response rate and effort for the established response class. Results of Experiment 2 indicated that a response-class hierarchy existed within the previously developed response classes for 3 of 4 participants.

Development and Modification of a Response Class via Positive and Negative Reinforcement: A Translational Approach

“…Design and procedure . Experiment 1 represented a systematic replication of procedures described by Shabani et al (2009). The design incorporated features of a withdrawal design that were assessed in the context of a concurrent‐schedules design.…”

“…However, because the reinforcement history associated with the development of the response class is unknown (Pipkin & Vollmer, 2009), determinations of how a class is initially formed also remain unknown. As Shabani, Carr, and Petursdottir (2009) noted recently, applied research on response classes can be challenging because responses in a class of severe problem behavior must be shown to serve the same function and then be sequentially exposed to extinction, which may place the individual in undue harm. To circumvent the potential challenges associated with identifying response classes that consist of various forms of problem behavior and the potential harm that may come from exposing severe problem behavior to extinction, Shabani et al took the study of response classes back to the laboratory.…”

“…Shabani et al (2009) assessed the development of a response class with one boy with a developmental disability and three girls with no known disabilities. Participants were taught an arbitrary response (i.e., a microswitch press) and received a small bite of candy or a penny that was exchangeable for preferred items postsession contingent on microswitch presses according to a fixed‐ratio (FR) 1 schedule.…”

“…Shabani et al (2009) demonstrated that training a presumably novel response (e.g., switch pressing) could be used to study the development and modification of response classes and response class hierarchies in a translational research context. Although the procedures used by Shabani et al might be conceptualized as a basic research study, current conceptions of translational research place it squarely along the translational research continuum.…”

“…This latter formulation of avoidance appears to be the subject of considerably less behavior‐analytic research but is of equally important applied and conceptual relevance to behavior analysts (Iwata, 1987). Therefore, the second purpose of the current study was to extend the work of Shabani et al (2009) under avoidance contingencies, again in a translational research context.…”