Membership of Defined Responses in Stimulus Classes

Area of Science:

• Behavioral Psychology
• Learning Theory
• Stimulus Equivalence

Background:

• Sidman (2000) proposed that defined responses, not just stimuli, can form equivalence classes.
• Previous research primarily focused on stimulus-stimulus relations in equivalence class formation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To empirically test Sidman's assertion that defined responses can become part of an equivalence class.
• To investigate the role of class-consistent responding in the formation of stimulus equivalence classes.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-schedule procedure was employed with four typically developing adults.
• Participants were trained on differential responses to visual stimuli and then on a matching task involving form stimuli.
• Three tests assessed the formation of equivalence classes including responses, colors, and forms.

Main Results:

• Three out of four participants demonstrated class-consistent responding, indicating that response patterns entered equivalence classes.
• Some participants required additional training to meet the criteria for class-consistent responding.
• The findings suggest that differential response patterns can indeed become integrated into stimulus equivalence classes.

Conclusions:

• The study provides empirical support for the inclusion of defined responses within equivalence classes.
• Results contribute to the understanding of stimulus class formation and the role of response-based learning.
• This research extends the concept of equivalence classes beyond stimulus-stimulus relations to include stimulus-response relations.