05
Selected Papers
Conditional Discriminations by Preverbal Children in an
Identity Matching-to-Sample Task
Gil, Maria Stella C. de Alcantara1; Oliveira, Thais P. de2 & McIlvane, William J.3
1
Universidade Federal de São Carlos, 2 Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais 3 University of
Massachusetts Medical School
Abstract
This study sought to develop methodology for assessing whether children
aged 16-21 months could learn to match stimuli on the basis of physical
identity in conditional discrimination procedures of the type routinely used
in stimulus equivalence research with older participants. The study was
conducted in a private room at a daycare center for children and toddlers.
The child and the research sat together on the floor facing an apparatus
with two windows. Stimuli to be discriminated were toys especially
designed to attract the child’s attention and maintain continued interest. On
simple discrimination and discrimination reversal trials that were
programmed in initial training, S+ and S- toys were displayed within the
two windows. When the child touched the window containing the toy
defined as S+ on a given trial, s/he was allowed to manipulate/play with
that toy. Selections of the S- toy ended the trial without a play opportunity.
On subsequent identity matching-to-sample trials, the child was first
allowed to manipulate a sample toy. Then, S+ (matching) and S(nonmatching) comparison toys were displayed within the windows, and
the selection consequences were the same as on simple discrimination
trials. The study provides evidence that preverbal children can master
simple and conditional discrimination performances via such procedures,
perhaps setting the stage for subsequent studies aimed at establishing
procedural control of the discrimination baselines needed to assess the
stimulus equivalence potential of children in this age range.
Facility:
Laboratory for the study of Social Interation
Publication:
GIL, M. S. C. A.; OLIVEIRA, Thais P. de & Mc Ilvane. Conditional Discriminations
by Preverbal Children in an Identity Matching-to-Sample Task The Psychological
Record, in press
http://www.ufscar.br
Funding:
CNPq, FAPESP, CAPES