Emergent simple discrimination in children: role of contiguity

Sixteen five- to seven-year-old children were exposed to two colour-form compounds. The compounds were presented successively. Pointing to the compounds was reinforced. Eight children received compounds A1B1 and A2B2; the others A1B2 and A2B1. This task was mixed with a two-choice discrimination task that provided the colours A1 and A2 simultaneously. Colour A1 was correct for four children in each group. Finally, tests were given that offered a choice between forms B1 and B2, without A1 or A2. The children preferred the form that had been paired with the correct colour of the two-choice discrimination task. The results can be explained with the assumption that functions transfer between stimuli if the stimuli occur contiguously. This assumption also accounts for transfer of functions between stimuli paired in matching-to-sample tasks.