Instructed Versus Shaped Human Verbal Behavior: Interactions With Nonverbal Responding

Abstract

Undergraduate students' presses on left and right buttons occasionally made available points exchangeable for money. Blue lights over the buttons were correlated with multiple random-ratio random-interval components; usually, the random-ratio schedule was assigned to the left button and the random-interval to the right. During interruptions on the multiple schedule, students filled out sentence-completion guess sheets (e.g., The way to earn points with the left button is to...). For different groups, guesses were shaped with differential points also worth money (e.g., successive approximations to "press fast" for the left button), or were instructed (e.g., Write "press slowly" for the left button), or were simply collected. Control of rate of pressing by guesses was examined in individual cases by reversing shaped or instructed guesses, by instructing pressing rates, and/or by reversing multiple-schedule contingencies. Shaped guesses produced guess-consistent pressing even when guessed rates opposed those characteristic of the contingencies (e.g., slow random-ratio and fast random-interval rates), whereas guesses and rates of pressing rarely corresponded after unsuccessful shaping of guesses or when guessing had no differential consequences. Instructed guesses and pressing were inconsistently related. In other words, when verbal responses were shaped (contingency-governed), they controlled nonverbal responding. When they were instructed (rule-governed), their control of nonverbal responding was inconsistent: the verbal behavior sometimes controlled, sometimes was controlled by, and sometimes was independent of the nonverbal behavior.

Rule-following and human operant responding: Conceptual and methodological considerations

“…Changes to schedule-typical responding which subjects show upon the withdrawal of instructions suggest that following such rules may be interpreted as an instance of pliance (Hayes et al, 1986). Similarly, Hayes et al have suggested that differential effects of shaped versus experimenter-instructed rules (Catania et al, 1982) (Matthews et al, 1985) suggests that shaped guesses which specify particular ways of responding (e.g., "press fast") are more likely to exert such control than those merely tacting the relevant contingencies (e.g., "the button works after a random number of presses").…”

“…Several strategies have been employed in this undertaking. These have included the systematic presentation and withdrawal of instructions which may or may not correspond to programmed contingencies (e.g., Galizio, 1979, Hayes, Brownstein, Zettle, Rosenfarb, Korn, 1986, shaping or instructing subjects' verbal behavior (Catania, Matthews, & Shimoff, 1982; Matthews, Catania, & Shimoff, 1985), the analysis of postsession verbal reports (Shimoff, 1986), and performance comparisons of preverbal and verbal children on operant schedules (Bentall, Lowe, & 1985; Lowe, Beasty, & Bentall, 1983). The purpose of this paper is to review earlier work in the context of a specific conceptualization of rule-governed behavior.…”

Efeitos de modelagem do comportamento verbal e de instruções sobre o comportamento de encaixar peças

“…Se ela aprende a montar brinquedos em função das orientações da mãe, seu comportamento foi instalado por regras. Skinner (1969Skinner ( /1980 afirmou que comportamentos modelados por contingências são comportamentos mantidos diretamente pelas relações entre a resposta e suas conseqüências e comportamentos governados por regras são comportamentos que ocorrem sob controle de estímulos discriminativos verbais.Algumas investigações (Albuquerque, Paracampo & Albuquerque, 2004); Albuquerque & Silva, 2006;Catania, Lowe & Horne, 1990;Catania, Matthews & Shimoff, 1982;Cavalcante, 1999;Cavalcante, Barreiros, Rosin, Villas Boas & Salina, 2002; Neef & col.s, 2004;Northup, Kodak, Grow, Lee & Coyne, 2004;Paracampo, 1991;Shimoff, Matthews & Catania, 1986) têm sido desenvolvidas para estudar experimentalmente os efeitos de regras/instruções sobre o que as pessoas falam e fazem.O repertório comportamental dos indivíduos depende de suas experiências de vida e das conseqüências diretas de suas ações no ambiente, bem como as descrições verbais apresentadas pela comunidade têm um papel fundamental na constituição das características peculiares a cada ser humano.As descrições verbais apresentadas pela comunidade são denominadas regras ou instruções, pois descrevem para um indivíduo como se comportar em determinada situação e as possíveis conseqüências de suas ações. Por exemplo: uma criança pode aprender a encaixar peças de um jogo de lego em função dos brinquedos produzidos e das brincadeiras que oportunizam, ou pelas orientações fornecidas pela mãe e/ou pela demonstração da construção de brinquedos e RESUMO -Pesquisas têm demonstrado diferenças nos efeitos dos comportamentos verbais modelado e instruído sobre o comportamento verbal e não-verbal.…”

“…Algumas investigações (Albuquerque, Paracampo & Albuquerque, 2004); Albuquerque & Silva, 2006;Catania, Lowe & Horne, 1990;Catania, Matthews & Shimoff, 1982;Cavalcante, 1999;Cavalcante, Barreiros, Rosin, Villas Boas & Salina, 2002; Neef & col.s, 2004;Northup, Kodak, Grow, Lee & Coyne, 2004;Paracampo, 1991;Shimoff, Matthews & Catania, 1986) têm sido desenvolvidas para estudar experimentalmente os efeitos de regras/instruções sobre o que as pessoas falam e fazem.…”

On the difference between verbal and nonverbal behavior

“…Catania, 1980). Verbal behavior is autoclitic when it is built upon and modifies the effects of other verbal behavior (Skinner, 1957 (Catania, Matthews & Shimoff, 1982; cf. Lowe, 1979).…”