Efecto de distintos criterios verbales de igualación en la adquisición y transferencia de una discriminación condicional de segundo orden en humanos

Abstract

Two experiments were run using volunteer college and university students. In these experiments subjects were trained to salve a second-order matching to sample task through the presentation of three kinds of descriptive texts to be chosen in order to complete a paragraph. The matching response consisted of completing the paragraph. The effects of these training procedures were evaluated on acquisition, maintenance and transfer of the conditional discrimination. In both experiments a between subjects and between conditions replication design was used. In the first experiment, transfer tests were presented in each session immediately after the training triads ended. In the second experiment, transfer tests were presented in separate session al the end of the training sessions and, besides, a group of control subjects without any training was used. In the first experiment, no differences were observed in acquisition, maintenance, and transfer between the various training conditions and the training without descriptive texts. In the second experiment, all subjects learned slowlier than in experiment 1 and two subjects did not acquire the discriminative performance. In the post-test (maintenance) all experimental subjects, excepting one, maintained their performance above correct responses, the same that control subjects that did not receive any training. Performance of experimental subjects in transfer tests was lower than that observed in experiment 1, and that observed with control subjects without training. In every case it was found an effect of training in descriptive texts on the options chosen to respond in transfer tests. However, this effect was higher in magnitude for texts referred to stimulus instances than for those referred to modal classes or stimulus relations. The results of these experiments are discussed in terms of the influences of verbal behavior during transfer tests, and the special interactions emerging between consequence variables (reinforcement"), verbal options variation, and temporal relationships between training and verbal descriptions.