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High-probability stimulus control topographies with delayed S+ onset in a simultaneous discrimination procedure
William J McIlvane1, Joanne B Kledaras, T C Callahan
1University of Massachusetts Medical School, Protestant Guild Learning Center, and Shriver Clinical, Services Corporation, USA. william.mcilvane@umassmed.edu
Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior
|April 9, 2002
Summary
A new discrimination learning procedure significantly improved stimulus control for adolescents with intellectual disabilities. This method enhances the ability to attend to relevant stimulus differences, aiding in educational and experimental settings.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral Psychology
- Developmental Disabilities Research
Background:
- Discrimination learning aims to improve attending to relevant stimulus differences.
- Establishing coherent stimulus control topographies is crucial for educational and experimental goals.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate a novel procedure to enhance stimulus control topography coherence.
- Improve discrimination accuracy in adolescents with severe intellectual handicaps.
Main Methods:
- A simultaneous discrimination procedure was used with adolescents with severe intellectual handicaps.
- Condition A involved selecting between an alternating form (S+) and a non-alternating form (S-).
- Condition B introduced a delay to S+/S- discrimination, requiring a non-response for 5s before the S+ became available.
Main Results:
- Initial Condition A showed low accuracy and poor stimulus control.
- Condition B led to rapid and marked improvements in discrimination accuracy for most participants.
- Reverting to Condition A often resulted in decreased accuracy.
Conclusions:
- The novel procedure effectively encourages stimulus control topography coherence.
- Intermediate accuracy scores may result from co-occurring, different topographies of stimulus control.