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Palmer DC. Toward a Behavioral Interpretation of English Grammar. Perspect Behav Sci 2023; 46:521-538. [PMID: 38144553 PMCID: PMC10733252 DOI: 10.1007/s40614-023-00368-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Behavior analysis is virtually alone among disciplines in assuming that the orderly arrangement of words in sentences, or grammar, arises from exposure to contingencies of reinforcement. In the face of the novelty, subtlety, complexity, and speed of acquisition of verbal behavior, this position will remain difficult to defend until the field can show that a representative range of grammatical phenomena is within reach of its interpretive tools. Using modern English as a case in point, this article points to the important role of automatic reinforcement in language acquisition and suggests that Skinner's concept of autoclitic frames (e.g., X is taller than Y) is central to a behavioral interpretation of grammatical phenomena. An enduring puzzle facing this interpretation is how stimulus control can shift from word to word in such frames as one speaks, for such permutations of verbal forms are often novel and rapidly emitted. A possible solution to the puzzle is offered by a consideration of contextual cues, prosodic cues, and the stimulus properties of the roles played by the content words that complete the frames. That these roles have discriminable stimulus properties is supported by considering that in Old English such roles directly controlled case inflections that correspond to positions in autoclitic frames. Continuing to develop behavioral interpretations of grammar is an important pursuit in its own right, whether or not it is sufficient to build bridges to other paradigms.
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Affiliation(s)
- David C. Palmer
- Department of Psychology, Smith College, Northampton, MA USA
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2
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Madden GJ, Mahmoudi S, Brown K. Pavlovian learning and conditioned reinforcement. J Appl Behav Anal 2023; 56:498-519. [PMID: 37254881 PMCID: PMC10364091 DOI: 10.1002/jaba.1004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Conditioned reinforcers are widely used in applied behavior analysis. Basic research evidence reveals that Pavlovian learning plays an important role in the acquisition and efficacy of new conditioned-reinforcer functions. Thus, a better understanding of Pavlovian principles holds the promise of improving the efficacy of conditioned reinforcement in applied research and practice. This paper surveys how (and if) Pavlovian principles are presented in behavior-analytic textbooks; imprecisions and knowledge gaps within contemporary Pavlovian empirical findings are highlighted. Thereafter, six practical principles of Pavlovian conditioning are presented along with empirical support and knowledge gaps that should be filled by applied and translational behavior-analytic researchers. Innovative applications of these principles are outlined for research in language acquisition, token reinforcement, and self-control.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Saba Mahmoudi
- Department of Psychology, Utah State University, Logan, UT, USA
| | - Katherine Brown
- Department of Psychology, Utah State University, Logan, UT, USA
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3
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Petursdottir AI, Ingvarsson ET. Revisiting Topography-Based and Selection-Based Verbal Behavior. Anal Verbal Behav 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s40616-023-00182-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
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4
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Shawler LA, Miguel CF, Cengher M, Zhelezoglo KN, Luoma SM. Establishing derived reinforcers via stimulus equivalence. J Exp Anal Behav 2022; 117:180-200. [PMID: 35142381 DOI: 10.1002/jeab.739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Revised: 01/08/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
If one of several stimuli in an equivalence class acquires a function, it transfers to all members of the respective class. Even though research has demonstrated this transfer across a variety of stimulus functions (e.g., discriminative), few studies have focused on the transfer of the reinforcing function. The current study extended previous literature by establishing derived reinforcers using conditional discrimination training with six neurotypical adults. We established three 4-member equivalence classes and then created a discriminative stimulus in one member by correlating it with reinforcement. We also expanded classes by adding a stimulus to each class and testing its function. During the transfer of function tests, five out of six participants chose the derived reinforcers more than the other stimuli. Three participants required remedial training or testing prior to demonstrating transfer of function. Results show that stimulus equivalence training is an effective and efficient paradigm to establish derived reinforcers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lesley A Shawler
- School of Psychological and Behavioral Sciences, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale
- Institute for Applied Behavioral Science, Endicott College
| | - Caio F Miguel
- Institute for Applied Behavioral Science, Endicott College
- Department of Psychology, California State University, Sacramento
| | - Mirela Cengher
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
| | - Karina N Zhelezoglo
- Institute for Applied Behavioral Science, Endicott College
- Department of Psychology, California State University, Sacramento
| | - Shannon M Luoma
- Department of Psychology, California State University, Sacramento
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Chance S, Cividini-Motta C, Livingston C. Assessing the Effects of Observational Conditioning and Response-Contingent Pairing on the Vocalizations of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder. Anal Verbal Behav 2021; 37:194-216. [PMID: 35141106 PMCID: PMC8789963 DOI: 10.1007/s40616-021-00157-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often display impairments in communication, such as limited echoic behavior, few vocal-verbal responses, and a lack of functional communication. One potential way to foster the acquisition of vocal responses in individuals with disabilities is by conditioning vocalizations as reinforcers. Conditioning procedures include stimulus-stimulus pairing, response-contingent pairing (RCP), operant discrimination training, and observational conditioning (OC). However, previous research has not evaluated whether OC can be used to condition vocalizations as reinforcers. The current study assessed whether two conditioning procedures, RCP and OC, were effective in conditioning vocalizations as a reinforcer and also evaluated their effect on the rate of vocalizations. Participants included three children with ASD, ages 5-10 years old. During the conditioning phase, rates of vocalizations during the RCP and OC conditions and a control condition were compared within an adapted alternating-treatments design. Reinforcer assessments were completed in a multielement design, pre- and postconditioning, to assess whether the target vocalizations acquired reinforcing properties. A conditioning effect and an increase in the rate of vocalizations were observed for two of the three participants; however, the conditioning effect was minor for one participant. Overall, the results of this study indicate both the RCP and OC procedures may be beneficial in increasing vocalizations for some children and could be incorporated into clinical programs and further explored in future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sydni Chance
- Department of Child and Family Studies, University of South Florida, MHC2333, 13301 Bruce B. Downs Blvd, Tampa, FL 33612 USA
| | - Catia Cividini-Motta
- Department of Child and Family Studies, University of South Florida, MHC2333, 13301 Bruce B. Downs Blvd, Tampa, FL 33612 USA
| | - Cynthia Livingston
- Department of Child and Family Studies, University of South Florida, MHC2333, 13301 Bruce B. Downs Blvd, Tampa, FL 33612 USA
- University Of Nebraska Medical Center’s Munroe-Meyer Institute, Omaha, NE USA
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Palmer DC. Finding Jack Michael’s Footprints in the Sand. Anal Verbal Behav 2021; 37:251-255. [DOI: 10.1007/s40616-021-00156-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
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Freitas L, Henry JE, Kelley ME, Tonneau F. The effects of stimulus pairings on autistic children's vocalizations: Comparing forward and backward pairings. Behav Processes 2020; 179:104213. [PMID: 32783972 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2020.104213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2020] [Revised: 07/27/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
In a procedure known as stimulus-stimulus pairing (Yoon and Bennett, 2000), the experimenter pairs a target sound (e.g., "bah") with a child's preferred item (e.g., a toy). Even though the stimulus pairings proceed independently of the child's behavior, this procedure has proved capable of increasing imitation of the target sound in developmentally delayed children (Shillingsburg et al., 2015). The underlying behavioral processes remain poorly known, however, and few systematic variations of the basic procedure have been published. In the present experiment, with autistic children as participants, (a) we compared the effects of forward versus backward pairings on the imitation of target sounds, and (b) we evaluated formally the relation between the children's preexisting verbal repertoires and the efficacy of the pairing procedure. As is often reported in the Pavlovian literature, backward pairings promoted lower levels of conditional responding than forward pairings. Also, we found a negative relation between a child's verbal level and pairing efficacy: children with the lower scores on the Behavioral Language Assessment Form (Sundberg and Partington, 1998) exhibited more conditioning. These findings confirm in a single study what has been so far only suspected informally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luiz Freitas
- Universidade Federal do Mato Grosso, Brazil; Universidade Federal do Pará, Brazil
| | - Justine E Henry
- Florida Institute of Technology, United States; The Scott Center for Autism Treatment, United States
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da Silva SP, Williams AM. Translations in Stimulus-Stimulus Pairing: Autoshaping of Learner Vocalizations. Perspect Behav Sci 2020; 43:57-103. [PMID: 32440645 PMCID: PMC7198677 DOI: 10.1007/s40614-019-00228-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Stimulus-stimulus pairing (SSP) is a procedure used by behavior analysis practitioners that capitalizes on respondent conditioning processes to elicit vocalizations. These procedures usually are implemented only after other, more customary methods (e.g., standard echoic training via modeling) have been exhausted. Unfortunately, SSP itself has mixed research support, probably because certain as-yet-unidentified procedural variations are more effective than others. Even when SSP produces (or increases) vocalizations, its effects can be short-lived. Although specific features of SSP differ across published accounts, fundamental characteristics include presentation of a vocal stimulus proximal with presentation of a preferred item. In the present article, we draw parallels between SSP procedures and autoshaping, review factors shown to affect autoshaping, and interpret autoshaping research for suggested SSP tests and applications. We then call for extended use and reporting of SSP in behavior-analytic treatments. Finally, three bridges created by this article are identified: basic-applied, respondent-operant, and behavior analysis with other sciences.
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Costa MRC, Souza CBAD. Aquisição de intraverbais em crianças com autismo: efeitos do pareamento de estímulos e respostas ecoicas. PSICOLOGIA USP 2020. [DOI: 10.1590/0103-6564e190061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Resumo O ensino de intraverbais para indivíduos com autismo tem sido realizado, principalmente, através de procedimentos que envolvem reforçamento diferencial. Recentemente, o procedimento de observação de pareamento de estímulos (SPOP) surgiu enquanto alternativa para verificar a emergência de repertórios verbais. O SPOP implica o pareamento de estímulos sem exigir outra resposta que a observação do pareamento. O ecoico tem sido apontado como facilitador na emergência de operantes verbais. O presente estudo comparou, com um delineamento de sondas múltiplas concorrentes com tratamento alternado adaptado, a eficácia do SPOP com um procedimento de apresentação contígua de estímulos com requisição de resposta ecoica na emergência de intraverbais em três crianças com autismo. Observou-se a eficácia do SPOP na indução de intraverbais e verificou-se o papel facilitador do ecoico. Discutem-se possíveis efeitos de interferência dos tratamentos, da extinção de respostas no contexto experimental e da utilização de reforçadores condicionados como parte do SPOP.
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Barry L, Holloway J, Gunning C. An investigation of the effects of a parent delivered stimulus-stimulus pairing intervention on vocalizations of two children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Anal Verbal Behav 2019; 35:57-73. [PMID: 31976221 PMCID: PMC6702475 DOI: 10.1007/s40616-018-0094-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Communication deficits in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) can manifest in a myriad of lifelong social and educational challenges. Many children with ASD fail to learn vocal verbal behavior and may require intensive individualized intervention to learn early verbal operants. The current research aimed to evaluate the effects of a parent delivered stimulus-stimulus pairing (SSP) procedure on target vocalizations of two young children with ASD who did not present with vocal verbal behavior. Results indicated the intervention was successful in increasing the frequency of the target vocalizations for both participants. Social validity results indicated that parents were satisfied with the intervention and their own implementation of these procedures. These results are discussed in terms of their implications for parent delivered interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorna Barry
- School of Psychology, National University of Ireland Galway, University Road, Galway, Ireland
| | - Jennifer Holloway
- School of Psychology, National University of Ireland Galway, University Road, Galway, Ireland
| | - Ciara Gunning
- School of Psychology, National University of Ireland Galway, University Road, Galway, Ireland
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Vandbakk M, Olaff HS, Holth P. Conditioned Reinforcement: the Effectiveness of Stimulus—Stimulus Pairing and Operant Discrimination Procedures. PSYCHOLOGICAL RECORD 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s40732-018-0318-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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12
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Lepper TL, Petursdottir AI. Effects of response-contingent stimulus pairing on vocalizations of nonverbal children with autism. J Appl Behav Anal 2017; 50:756-774. [DOI: 10.1002/jaba.415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2015] [Accepted: 10/21/2016] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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