Searching for the variables that control human rule-governed "insensitivity"

Area of Science:

• Behavioral Psychology
• Cognitive Science
• Human Behavior Analysis

Background:

• Verbal rules and instructions significantly influence human behavior, offering benefits like accelerated skill acquisition and avoidance of negative outcomes.
• A key drawback of rule-following is the potential for 'insensitivity' to shifts in underlying environmental contingencies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the variables governing initial rule-following behavior.
• To examine the factors contributing to insensitivity in rule-following behavior.

Main Methods:

• Two experiments were conducted to assess rule-following and insensitivity.
• Participants' behavior was observed under conditions with accurate and inaccurate initial rules, and subsequent contingency changes.

Main Results:

• When the initial rule was inaccurate, approximately half of participants followed the rule, and all participants exhibited insensitivity to changing contingencies.
• When the initial rule was accurate, all participants adhered to it, and nearly all demonstrated insensitivity to subsequent contingency modifications.

Conclusions:

• Both accurate and inaccurate initial rules can lead to persistent rule-following behavior that is insensitive to environmental shifts.
• Findings have implications for establishing and maintaining effective rule-following in applied settings, particularly when alternative, deviant behaviors might be more reinforcing.