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EAB Posters |
Monday, October 7, 2013 |
7:00 PM–9:00 PM |
Gran Salon Yucatan (Fiesta Americana) |
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2. On the Role of Sorting |
Area: EAB; Domain: Experimental Analysis |
AINA NORBOM (Oslo and Akershus University College), Erik Arntzen (Oslo and Akershus University College), Lanny Fields (Queens College, City University of New York) |
Abstract: A few studies have been done with focus on sorting or categorization tests as part of the method within stimulus equivalence research (see for example Fields, Arntzen, Nartey, & Eilifsen, 2012). The sorting test can be accomplished in a few minutes compared to about 30 to 40 minutes in the stimulus equivalence test. The research question in the present study was to explore the role of sorting as an alternative goal on stimulus equivalence compared to the standard tests for stimulus. The participants were adults, 21 to 41 years of age. We employed a linear series (LS) structure to establish three 5-member classes. All participants were exposed to a first phase, which included a sorting test. In the second phase, training was arranged as conditional discriminations in a traditional MTS format. Then, the participants were tested for equivalence class formation. In the third phase, an identical sorting test as in the first phase was presented. Dependent on the outcome of the second and third phase, the participants went through to a new phase with a new stimulus set or a re-test of both sorting and the test for stimulus equivalence with the same stimulus set. The data was analyzed to see if there was any coherence between the sorting test and the establishment of emergent relations. |
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3. Everything You Know about the Experimental Analysis of Behavior Is Wrong |
Area: EAB; Domain: Theory |
RICHARD W. MALOTT (Western Michigan University) |
Abstract: SCOWL: I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by lust for the straight semi-log transform, confusing the little dots falling on the straight line, with underlying process (if it’s straight as a gate, it’s straight, gate). Relevant topics: (1) The relation between experimental and applied research in behavior analysis. (2) Why bridging research gets it wrong. (3) Why basic research gets it wrong. (4) Preschool fatalism. (5) Pre-PhD fatalism: Why you will agree with practically none of this poster. (6) The little boy with a new hammer who tries to fix everything by hitting it with his wonderful hammer. (7) Why the worst thing Skinner ever did was invent schedules of reinforcement. (8) Why delay discounting is irrelevant to almost anything of importance. (9) Why grandma's wisdom is wrong. (10) The myth of poor self-control. (11) The truth about poor self-control. (12) Rule-governed vs. contingency-controlled behavior. (13) Why operationalization provides only a false sense of intellectual security. (14) The shiftless paradigm. The high IQ mind of an EABer is a terrible thing to waste; hopefully this poster will save one or two of the less rigid ones. |
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4. Effects of Changes in the Quantity of Modalities on the Acquisition and Transfer of Conditional Discrimination |
Area: EAB; Domain: Experimental Analysis |
LUIS ALBERTO QUIROGA BAQUERO (Universidad de Guadalajara- CEIC), Carlos Wilcen Villamil Barriga (Universidad de Guadalajara), Carlos Javier Flores Aguirre (Universidad de Guadalajara), Paola Andrea Arrubla (Fundacion Universitaria Konrad Lorenz) |
Abstract: In the analysis field of abstract stimulus control has been widely reported the effect of parametric variations in the spatial, temporal and probabilistic properties of the stimulus and response segment on the establishment of conditional discriminations. However, it has been proposed that the contingencies of abstraction involve responding to variants modal properties of stimuli present in terms of constant modal properties that are relational. In this matter, it is proposed to evaluate the effect that the variation in the number of modalities in the second-order, sample and comparisons stimuli has on the establishment of abstract stimulus control in a second-order matching-to-sample task. In a first experiment, the second-order stimuli indicated trial by trial the identity or difference relationships in two ways: shape and color. In training or transfer phases was varied the number of modalities (2 or 4) of the sample and comparisons stimuli resulting in four experimental groups. In a second experiment was presented the same variation in the modalities of the sample and comparison stimuli, but additionally second-order stimuli indicated the relevant relationships and modalities. The results show differences between the groups in the two experiments in terms of the number modalities trained versus the number modalities used in the transfer tests, assuming differential effects on the establishment of the control abstract stimulus. |
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5. Operant Contingencies for Collaboration Between Chimps |
Area: EAB; Domain: Experimental Analysis |
PER HOLTH (Oslo and Akershus University College) |
Abstract: Chimps are known to cooperate on certain types of tasks, such as hunting and patroling their borders. However, they do not typically collaborate on other tasks. Through a step-by-step procedure, the present study established the basic skills and contingencies to facilitate collaborative lever pressing in chimps in a Zoo. |
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6. Assessing Mindfulness Processes in Emotional Regulation: A Translational Study |
Area: EAB; Domain: Experimental Analysis |
YORS A. GARCIA (Fundacion Universitaria Konrad Lorenz), Liliana Cristiano (Fundacion Universitaria Konrad Lorenz), Sergio Ribero (Fundacion Universitaria Konrad Lorenz) |
Abstract: The main objective of this study was to evaluate the basic processes in mindfulness and emotional regulation. Thirty undergraduate students were divided in two different groups (Experimental and control). Initially a pre-test was conducted to evaluate emotional regulation (Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), Gratz, & Roemer, 2004) in both groups. The Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), (Baer et al., 2006) was also administered to evaluate the mindfulness skills previous to the beginning of the study. Once the screening was completed participants were exposed to a respondent-type training and match-to-sample procedure to establish a 3 three-member stimulus classes. The stimuli used for this study were pictures from the IAPS and nonsense words. Psychophysiological measures were simultaneously taken during the respondent-type training (heart rate and EEG). When the stimulus class formation was completed participants in the experimental group were exposed to mindfulness training (observing and describing) during 15 minutes, while participants in the control groups were exposed to a video (pleasant images). Immediately after participants in both groups were exposed to a second group of stimuli using the respondent-type training and match-to-sample procedures. Psychophysiological measures were taken again in this phase. Once both groups completed the training and testing phase in the match-to-sample procedures all participants were administered the DERS to evaluate the emotional regulation scores. Preliminary data show that participants in the experimental group decreased emotional dysregulations as measured with the DERS compared to the control group. Discussion is oriented towards the necessity to conduct more translational studies to evaluate mindfulness processes. |
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7. The Effects of (Un)predicatable and (Un)controllable Stimuli Upon New Learning |
Area: EAB; Domain: Experimental Analysis |
JOSELE ABREU-RODRIGUES (Universidade de Brasilia), Lorena Kássia de Lima (Universidade de Brasilia) |
Abstract: The present study evaluated, with college students, the role of stimulus (un)predictability in situations of (un)controllability. The procedure included tone presentations and a four-response-sequence task. In the Training Phase, the participants of the Controllable-Predictable (CP) and Controllable-Unpredictable (CU) groups were exposed to controllable events (the tones could be interrupted if the sequence differed from the previous five ones); the participants of the Uncontrollable-Predictable (UP), Uncontrollable-Unpredictable (UU) and Blocking (BK) groups were exposed to uncontrollable events (the tones could not be interrupted). For the participants of the CP, UP and BK groups, the intertrial intervals (ITIs) were fixed (tone initiation was predictable), and for the participants of the CI and II groups, the ITIs were variable (tone initiation was unpredictable). The participants of the Control Group (CT) were not exposed to this phase. In the Testing Phase, all participants were required to emit a unique sequence to interrupt the tone. In this last phase, the participants of the UP Group showed greater U values and lower percentages of reinforced sequences than the participants of the remaining groups, which did not differ among themselves. These results indicate that the uncontrollable events produced learning deficits, but only when these events were also predictable. |
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8. Response Acquisition with Delayed Conditioned Reinforcement |
Area: EAB; Domain: Experimental Analysis |
Marco Pulido (Universidad Intercontinental), RODRIGO SOSA (Universidad de Guadalajara) |
Abstract: The present study assessed the possibility that rats exposed to response independent food deliveries would increase lever pressing rates correlated with the presentation of noise and stimulus changes that were previously paired with primary reinforcement. Seventy two male na?ve rats were exposed to ten 30 minute sessions where a FT 60-s schedule presented food correlated with a 3-s blackout and the operation of the food delivery magazine for the same amount of time. After the training phase was over, an acquisition phase began; subjects could receive one of four different schedules for twenty consecutive sessions: 1) CRF; 2) RF1, FT 2-s; 3) FR1, FT 5-s or 4) FR1, FT 10-s; nine subjects were exposed to each schedule. Results produced by the conditioned reinforcement conditions were compared with conditions where: 1) Primary reinforcement was delivered during the acquisition phase, 2) Blackout and magazine operation occurred during the training phase but in the absence of food, and 3) Subjects remained in the experimental chamber without any programmed stimulus presentation during the training phase. Both the primary reinforcement and the conditioned reinforcement conditions produced delay gradients; the latter was considerably steeper than the former. |