Function-Altering Effects of Rule Phrasing in the Modulation of Instructional Control

Area of Science:

• Behavioral Psychology
• Experimental Analysis of Behavior
• Verbal Behavior Analysis

Background:

• Understanding how instructions influence behavior under varying reinforcement conditions is crucial.
• Previous research, like Hackenberg and Joker (1994), established experimental paradigms for studying operant behavior.
• Skinner's analysis of verbal behavior provides a theoretical framework for rule governance and instructional control.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of four distinct instructional variants on instruction following.
• To investigate how these variants interact with changing reinforcement schedules.
• To analyze the modulation of instructional control versus schedule control by textual verbal behavior.

Main Methods:

• Employed an operant task based on Hackenberg and Joker's (1994) experimental preparation.
• Recruited sixteen college-aged adults, randomly assigned to directive, generic, non-directive, or control instruction conditions.
• Assessed instruction following and schedule control under dynamic reinforcement schedules.

Main Results:

• Directive and generic instructions led to higher instructional control and lower schedule control compared to non-directive instructions.
• Participants in directive and generic groups adhered to instructions, even when reinforcement schedules suggested otherwise.
• Participants in the non-directive group and control group showed responding that trended towards the optimal pattern.

Conclusions:

• Textual verbal behavior, particularly directive and generic instructions, significantly modulates instruction following.
• Instructional control can override schedule control when instructions are explicit.
• Findings align with Skinner's theories on verbal behavior and rule governance, highlighting the power of specific verbal stimuli.