Association for Behavior Analysis International

In this symposium, three studies will be described related to the application of stimulus equivalence to instructional design. In the first study, researchers compared two training structures (linear series and one-to-many) the effects of training structure on the acquisition of equivalence classes and transfer of function as compared to a condition in which participants were directly taught all possible relations. In the second study, researchers compared different contexts and contingencies and effects on equivalence class formation. Specifically, individualized EBI, group-based EBI with an interdependent contingency, and lectures were compared. In the third study, researchers examined how equivalence-based instruction could be implemented in a peer tutoring context with school-aged children. The researchers also examined how to distribute baseline conditional discrimination among tutors and tutees. Collectively, these studies inform best practices of procedures used to promote emergent responding and equivalence class formation across a broad domain of skill areas.

individuals interested in generative learning

A recent study (Oliveira & Petursdottir, in preparation) found that when comparing equivalence-based instruction (EBI) to complete instruction control (CI) using concurrent training, EBI did not inherently produce faster or better learning than CI. However, the study included only a single EBI training structure. The present experiment (a) evaluated the efficiency of linear series (LS) and one-to-many (OTM) EBI protocols relative to CI, and (b) assessed transfer of function following stimulus class formation. Sixty undergraduate students were randomly assigned to three groups (CI, EBI-OTM and EBI-LS), all of which received training to establish three 4-member stimulus classes. In the class establishment phase (ABCD training), the CI and EI groups were presented with 36 and 9 types of trials, respectively. After achieving mastery, the ABCD test included all possible trial types, with no feedback. After achieving criterion on the ABCD test, participants were taught to execute different motor responses to one stimulus in each class, and then received a transfer of function test with the remaining stimuli in each class. Preliminary results suggest that both EBI groups require fewer trials than the CI group to pass the ABCD test, and all groups perform equally well on the transfer-of-function test.

Equivalence-based instruction (EBI) involves teaching socially relevant material (e.g., academic material) with equivalence class formation procedures (Fienup, Covey, & Critchfield, 2010). In the literature, equivalence training and testing has been almost exclusively conducted on an individual basis, apart from Varelas and Fields (2017) who applied a group contingency using EBI. To extend the literature, the present study compared the effects of using EBI with an interdependent group contingency, individualized computer-based EBI, and a lecture on class formation with college students. The classes consisted of information related to reinforcement and punishment procedures (i.e., name, definition, contingency table, vignettes). Both EBI groups used an online student response system (SRS) application. To compare the effects on responding, three tests were administered before and after each intervention: (a) written open-ended, (b) written multiple-choice, and (c) card sorting. Results showed improvements in class-consistent responding across all groups following training. However, responding was significantly higher in the two EBI training groups for the written multiple-choice tests. The group-contingency-based EBI was significantly more effective in promoting topography-based responding than was lecture. These results suggest that EBI can be effectively implemented in more naturalistic settings (e.g., classroom) using a group contingency with portable and affordable technology.