Stimulus Control Topographies and Tests of Symmetry in Pigeons

Lionello-Denolf, Karen M.; Urcuioli, Peter J.

doi:10.1901/jeab.2002.78-467

Cited by 51 publications

(92 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…Still, there were residual concerns about the functional matching stimuli in Lionello-DeNolf and Urcuioli (2002), so an attempt to resolve these served as the starting point for the present series of experiments. Experiments 1A, 1B, and 2 searched (albeit unsuccessfully) for symmetry in twoalternative matching with procedural variations to redress these other potential problems.…”

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Associative Symmetry, Anti-Symmetry, and a Theory of Pigeons' Equivalence-Class Formation

Urcuioli¹

2008

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Five experiments assessed associative symmetry in pigeons. In Experiments 1A, 1B and 2, pigeons learned two-alternative symbolic matching with identical sample-and comparison-response requirements and with matching stimuli appearing in all possible locations. Despite controlling for the nature of the functional stimuli and insuring all requisite discriminations, there was little or no evidence for symmetry. By contrast, Experiment 3 demonstrated symmetry in successive (go/no-go) matching, replicating the findings of Frank and Wasserman (2005). In view of these results, I propose that in successive matching, (1) the functional stimuli are stimulus-temporal location compounds, (2) continual nonreinforcement of some sample-comparison combinations juxtaposed with reinforcement of other combinations throughout training facilitates stimulus class formation, (3) classes consist of the elements of the reinforced combinations, and (4) common elements produce class merger. The theory predicts that particular sets of training relations should yield ''antisymmetry'': Pigeons should respond more to a reversal of the nonreinforced symbolic baseline relations than to a reversal of the reinforced relations. Experiment 4 confirmed this counterintuitive prediction. These results and other theoretical implications support the idea that equivalence relations are a natural consequence of reinforcement contingencies.

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Associative Symmetry, Anti-Symmetry, and a Theory of Pigeons' Equivalence-Class Formation

Urcuioli¹

2008

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“…However, recent follow-up work has indicated that pigeons do not seem to form acquired equivalence classes in which the behavior patterns become part of the class despite the success of the baseline training procedure (Urcuioli et al, 2006). This result may not be surprising given the difficulty of establishing stimulus equivalence in this population (e.g., Lionello-DeNolf & Urcuioli, 2002). A different outcome may occur if humans are tested using the procedure.…”

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A Formação De Classes De Equivalência via Pareamento Por Identidade E Discriminação Simples Com Conseqüências Específicas Para as Classes

Barros

Lionello-Denolf

Dube

et al. 2016

REBAC

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RESUMOO desempenho de participantes humanos freqüentemente mostra aprendizagem de relações não diretamente ensinadas após o treino de discriminações condicionais entre estímulos fisicamente diferentes. Essas relações emergentes documentam a formação de classes de equivalência. O presente estudo investigou se conseqüências específicas paras as classes (i.e., reforçadores específicos usados para cada classe potencial durante o treino) também integram as classes de equivalência. Vários estudos anteriores sugeriram que as conseqüências específicas podem integrar as classes, entretanto, o treino nesses estudos inclui pareamento arbitrário e pareamento por identidade. No presente estudo, duas crianças autistas foram submetidas apenas a treino de reversões de discriminações simples e pareamento por identidade com conseqüências específicas paras as classes potenciais. Então, testes de pareamento arbitrário foram econduzidos. O desempenho das crianças evidenciou a formação de classes nestes testes, a despeito de elas não terem experiência de treino de pareamento arbitrário. Adicionalmente, um dos participantes mostrou evidência de formação de classes após treino de reversões de discriminação simples somente. Esses resultados tanto demonstram que as conseqüências reforçadoras de fato se tornam parte das classes de equivalência, quanto dão suporte à idéia de que equivalência surge das contingências de reforçamento e não é baseada em habilidades lingüísticas.Palavras-chave: equivalência de estímulos, pareamento ao modelo, discriminação simples, reforçamento específico, efeito de conseqüência específica, retardo mental ABSTRACT Initially, this paper makes some distinctions between simple and conditional discrimination concepts and points to tHuman participant performances often show evidence of learning untrained relations when conditional discrimination training between physically dissimilar stimuli is conducted. These emergent relations document equivalence class formation. The current study investigated whether class-specific consequences (i.e. the specific reinforcers used for each potential class during training) also join the equivalence class. Several studies have suggested they do so. However, training in those studies typically included arbitrary matching and identity matching baselines. In the current study, two autistic children were trained on simple discrimination reversals and identity matching with class specific consequences. They were then given arbitrary matching probes. Performances of both children initially showed evidence of class formation on these tests, despite the fact that neither had received training on arbitrary matching. In addition, one of the participants showed evidence of class formation after simple discrimination reversal training alone. These results demonstrate that the reinforcing consequences do in fact become part of the stimulus equivalence class and provide support for the ideas that equivalence (1) arises from reinforcement contingency and (2) is not based upon language skills.

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“…Indeed, the many unsuccessful attempts to demonstrate this emergent relation (e.g., D'Amato, Salmon, Loukas, & Tomie, 1985; Dugdale & Lowe, 2000; Hogan & Zentall, 1977; Lionello-DeNolf & Urcuioli, 2002; Lipkens, Kop, & Matthijs, 1988; Sidman et al, 1982) led some to argue that language may be a prerequisite for symmetry and for equivalence more generally (see, for example, Devany, Hayes, & Nelson, 1986; Dugdale & Lowe, 1990; Horne & Lowe, 1996). However, the difficulty in finding evidence for symmetry in non-human animals is due more to methodology rather than to capability.…”

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Transitive and anti-transitive emergent relations in pigeons: Support for a theory of stimulus-class formation

Urcuioli

Swisher

2015

Behavioural Processes

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Stimulus class formation is inferred when conditional discrimination training yields new (emergent) conditional relations between the training stimuli. The present experiments demonstrated two such relations in pigeons after successive matching-to-sample training. Experiment 1 showed that transitivity (AC matching) emerged after training on AB and BC arbitrary matching plus BB identity matching: Pigeons responded relatively more to the comparisons on AC test trials in which both the A samples and C comparisons were elements of reinforced arbitrary baseline relations involving the same nominal B stimulus. Experiment 2 showed the opposite effect (“anti-transitivity”) after training on the same arbitrary relations but with BB oddity instead: Pigeons responded relatively more to the comparisons on AC test trials in which the A sample was an element of a reinforced baseline relation and the C comparison was an element of a non-reinforced baseline relation, or vice versa. Experiment 2 also showed that AB and BC training alone generally does not yield an emergent effect. These findings extend the range of emergent phenomena observed in non-human animals and are consistent with predictions from Urcuioli's (2008) theory of pigeons’ stimulus class formation.

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Stimulus Control Topographies and Tests of Symmetry in Pigeons

Cited by 51 publications

References 28 publications

Associative Symmetry, Anti-Symmetry, and a Theory of Pigeons' Equivalence-Class Formation

Associative Symmetry, Anti-Symmetry, and a Theory of Pigeons' Equivalence-Class Formation

A Formação De Classes De Equivalência via Pareamento Por Identidade E Discriminação Simples Com Conseqüências Específicas Para as Classes

Transitive and anti-transitive emergent relations in pigeons: Support for a theory of stimulus-class formation

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