The role of problem solving in complex intraverbal repertoires

Area of Science:

• Behavioral Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Applied Behavior Analysis

Background:

• Intraverbal categorization is a key language skill for preschoolers.
• Problem-solving strategies can enhance learning in young children.
• Self-prompting is a potential strategy for improving verbal behavior.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if preschoolers can learn a problem-solving strategy involving self-prompting for intraverbal categorization.
• To determine the effectiveness of modeling and prompting in teaching this strategy.

Main Methods:

• Four typically developing preschoolers were taught a problem-solving strategy.
• The strategy involved self-prompting with intraverbal chains for multiple responses.
• Modeling and prompting were used to facilitate strategy acquisition.

Main Results:

• Direct teaching alone did not yield significant increases in responses.
• Modeling and prompting led to immediate, significant improvements in intraverbal categorization.
• Self-prompting was initially audible but decreased over time for most children.
• Strategy use remained consistent even when self-prompts were not audible.

Conclusions:

• Teaching and prompting a problem-solving strategy is effective for improving intraverbal categorization in preschoolers.
• This strategy can lead to rapid skill acquisition and prompt elimination.
• The findings support the use of structured teaching methods for developing complex verbal behaviors.