Failure to observe untested derived stimulus relations in extinction: implications for understanding...

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Behavior Analysis
• Cognitive Psychology

Background:

• Previous research suggested that deriving stimulus relations is operant behavior.
• Resurgence of equivalence relations was observed when newer relations were punished or extinguished.
• The role of initial testing in establishing these relations was unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if initial testing is a necessary condition for the resurgence of equivalence relations.
• To determine if untested equivalence relations emerge after extinction of conflicting relations.
• To clarify the conditions required for establishing derived stimulus relations.

Main Methods:

• Arbitrary matching-to-sample training was conducted in Phase 1.
• Equivalence testing was omitted after baseline training.
• New, inconsistent equivalence classes were established in Phase 2 and then extinguished.

Main Results:

• Untested equivalence relations consistent with Phase 1 training did not reliably occur.
• This finding was replicated across two experiments.
• No evidence of derived stimulus relations consistent with Phase 1 training was found.

Conclusions:

• Initial testing appears to be a necessary condition for the resurgence of equivalence relations.
• The context of equivalence testing plays a significant role in establishing stimulus classes.
• These findings contribute to understanding the operant nature of deriving untrained stimulus relations.