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| VRB Poster Session 5 |
| Monday, May 31, 2010 |
| 6:00 PM–7:30 PM |
| Exhibit Hall A (CC) |
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| 125. Signaled Tact and Reading Acquisition Through Echoic and Listener Behavior Training by Children With and Without Hearing Impairment |
| Area: VBC; Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| NASSIM CHAMEL ELIAS (Universidade Federal de São Carlos), A. Celso Goyos (Universidade Federal de São Carlos) |
| Abstract: The overall objective of the present study was to expand knowledge about acquisition and emergence of signaled verbal operants. Similarities and differences in the acquisition of spoken and signaled verbal operants would imply in the extent of the theoretical and practical understanding of this area, indicating the relevance of the basic processes, regardless of the response topography. On the other hand, literature largely illustrates the use of the stimulus equivalence paradigm to investigate cognitive and academic skill acquisition process. However, the use of that paradigm to investigate verbal operant acquisition has not been explored at its maximum and it is very promising. Some studies have investigated signaled tact and reading acquisition through teaching techniques derived from stimulus equivalence and indicated a higher difficulty in reading acquisition by individuals with hearing impairment. The authors of such studies point out that this difficulty may have occurred due to the features of the printed stimuli used (long and complex words). Considering the functional importance of the verbal operants and the lack of studies that put the above mentioned areas together, the present study investigated the acquisition of signaled tact and reading through echoic and listener behavior teaching by children with and without hearing impairment that did not present reading repertoire. According to the Naming Theory, teaching listener relations, through conditional discrimination tasks, may be sufficient for the emergence of speaker relations. Echoic behavior teaching consisted of imitating a sign. Listener behavior teaching consisted in choosing a picture or printed word in the presence of a sign through matching-to-sample tasks presented by a computer. Tests of tact and reading responses consisted of the presentation of a picture or printed word, respectively, and the instruction for the child to do the corresponding sign. In general, results indicated the acquisition of tact and reading responses through echoic and listener behavior teaching by the children, but not the maintenance of the responses. The association of computer tools and stimulus equivalence technology with matching-to-sample tasks leads to promising perspective to teach verbal operants and sign language in broad scale. |
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| 126. Transfer of Ordinal Functions Through Stimuli Classes in Deaf Children |
| Area: VBC; Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| ALICE ALMEIDA CHAVES DE RESENDE (Universidade Federal de São Carlos), A. Celso Goyos (Universidade Federal de São Carlos) |
| Abstract: The bilingual approach adopted for educating deaf people in Brazil using Brazilian Sign Language (LIBRAS) as the first language and the written Portuguese language as the instrumental language. The acquisition of this written language can be difficult for deaf people due to the differences between its ordinal grammatical structures and BLS. The ordinal grammatical structure of the first one consists in a subject-verb-preposition-complement order, whereas the BLS structure allows not only this order, but also different combinations of its elements. Such differences usually result, for the deaf people, in a writing repertoire of the Portuguese language that has a different grammatical order than that one used by the verbal community in which they are inserted. This study investigated variables that control the transfer of ordinal functions through equivalence classes. The experimental stimuli used were sixteen printed words divided into four stimuli categories (A1,2,3,4; B1,2,3,4; C1,2,3,4 e D1,2,3,4), which are subject, verb, preposition and complement respectively. The categories teaching approach was matching to sample, while sequencing teaching approach was constructed-response matching-to-sample. In general, results indicated that participants presented transfer of ordinal functions through equivalence classes. |
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| 127. Instructional Programming for Generalized Sound-Print Relations: Long- and Short-Vowel word pairs |
| Area: VBC; Domain: Experimental Analysis |
| MEGAN N. STEIN (University of Kansas), Kathryn Saunders (University of Kansas) |
| Abstract: The literature on reading in persons with intellectual disabilities contains little guidance for teaching word-attack skills, particularly for word patterns beyond consonant-vowel-consonant words (CVC). Our previous studies have demonstrated recombinative generalization of onset and rime units within CVC words following multiple-exemplar training. This study extends this work to CVC and CVCe words. Training involved a computerized word-construction task designed to establish relations between spoken and printed words. There were 5 rime sets containing an equal number of long and short ‘a’ words (i.e., at/ate, an/ane, ap/ape, ad/ade, af/afe) and two with other vowel-containing rimes (i.e., et/ete and ot/ote): a total of 120 words. Sets contained at least 16 words. After pretesting, teaching and testing occurred one 4-word subset at a time in the following sequence: (a) test all four words, (b) teach two words (e.g. rat/pate), and (c) test for recombination of the components (e.g. pat/rate). After mastery of some words in a set, participants began to show generalization in both test 1 (no words trained) and test 2 (two words trained). Probes throughout the study showed generative whole-word reading following the word-construction task. These findings suggest that word-construction training is a valuable addition to comprehensive word-attack instruction. |
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| 128. Instructional Programming for Generalized Sound-Print Relations: Consonant Clusters |
| Area: VBC; Domain: Experimental Analysis |
| MAMBU S. SHERMAN (University of Kansas), Yusuke Hayashi (University of Kansas), Kathryn Saunders (University of Kansas) |
| Abstract: The literature on reading in persons with intellectual disabilities contains little guidance for teaching word-attack skills, particularly for word patterns beyond consonant-vowel-consonant words (CVC). Our previous studies have demonstrated recombinative generalization of onset and rime units within CVC words following multiple-exemplar training. This study extends the work to onset-consonant clusters, such as in the words frat and flat. Omitting the second consonant in the cluster (e.g., seeing flat and saying fat) is a common reading error. Two men with mild intellectual disabilities participated. In a computerized task, participants selected the printed word that corresponded to a spoken-word sample, from among a choice pool of closely related words. There were seven, 25-word sets, each containing five subsets composed to force attention to all consonants within the cluster (e.g., grad, glad, gad, rad, lad). Within sets, teaching and testing followed a recurring pattern of teaching subset 1, testing for generalization to subset 2, teaching subset 2, etc. Both participants ultimately demonstrated generalization to untaught subsets. These findings suggest that teaching spoken-word to printed word relations involving groups of minimally different words would be a valuable addition to comprehensive word-attack instruction. |
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| 129. Transfer of Function Using Derived Relational Responding and Emotionally Salient Stimuli |
| Area: VBC; Domain: Experimental Analysis |
| MICHAEL C. CLAYTON (Youngstown State University), Julie Blaskewicz (Youngstown State University) |
| Abstract: Contextually controlled transfer of functions through equivalence relations provides a tool for exploring complex human behavior. Appropriately responding to emotional cues is a necessary social skill. Further, sensitivity to variations in emotional responding as a function of changing contextual cues is essential for effective social behavior. The present study used a transfer baseline design and abstract stimuli and stimuli with strong emotional content to establish four classes (AB1-4, AC1-4, and CD1-4) and test for transfer for emotional functions (BA, CA, DC, BC, CB, AD, BD, DA, and DB). The D stimuli consisted of both strongly positive and strongly negative pictures, sentences, and sounds. All stimuli were judged by participants (N=12) using a Likert-type scale, both prior to, and at the completion of the study. The pretest and posttest evaluations recorded subjective judgments of each stimulus by all participants to determine whether stimulus function had changed. The results indicate that transfer of emotional function is not a stable phenomenon. Instead, the current results suggest that the degree of transfer can vary widely between stimuli and between participants. The relevance of how emotional sensitivity impacts human functioning particularly in therapeutic contexts will be considered. |
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| 130. Verbal Stimuli Transforming Contingencies: A Matching to Sample Task With Double Functionality |
| Area: VBC; Domain: Experimental Analysis |
| Ana Lucia Suro Soto (Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara), Emilio Ribes Iñesta (Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara), MARIA ANTONIA PADILLA VARGAS VARGAS (Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara) |
| Abstract: Contingency substitution is a term used to describe conventional interactions that involve verbal stimuli transforming (substituting) contingencies. These interactions imply the detachment of the behavior from situational properties (Ribes & López, 1985). A matching-to-sample task was designed to identify either the response to situational properties, or the response to conventional properties referred by a verbal stimulus (referential substitution). Six college students were trained in a second-order matching-to-sample task. Half of the participants were also trained in a modified first-order matching-to-sample task. The matching criterion was symbolic identity. Instead of separated instances arbitrarily matched, relations within two instances were matched to arbitrary stimuli, so as to establish them as relational symbols. The test situation was a second-order matching-to-sample task, with one relational symbol added to the array. The matching response of the participants could be controlled either by the second-order stimuli (response attached to situational properties), or by the relational symbol (response detached from situational properties). Just one participant, who received both kinds of training, responded to the conventional properties of the array. The factors involved in the adjustment process within contingency substitution interactions are discussed. |
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| 131. A Comparison of the Intensive Tact Procedure and Multiple Exemplar Instruction on the Emergence of Naming With Academically Delayed Middle School Students |
| Area: VBC; Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| Yasmin J. Helou-Care (Teachers College, Columbia University), Joan A. Broto (Teachers College, Columbia University), R. Douglas Greer (Teachers College, Columbia University), KATHARINE J. TINTRUP (Teachers College, Columbia University) |
| Abstract: The experimenters compared the effects of multiple exemplar instruction and intensive tact procedure on the induction of naming in two middle school students diagnosed with emotional and behavioral disorders. The participants were chosen for this study based on the absence of the verbal developmental capability naming. The dependent variable was correct responses to untaught listener and speaker responses during unconsequated probe trials. The independent variables were the implementation of multiple exemplar instruction or intensive tact procedure. For participant C, multiple exemplar instruction functioned to increase correct untaught listener and speaker responses during a novel probe set, and induced the capability naming. For participant D, intensive tact procedure functioned to increase correct untaught responses, however, during a novel probe set, the participant did not emit any correct untaught speaker responses. To induce the naming capability in participant D, experimenters chose to implement multiple exemplar instruction. Correct responding to untaught listener and speaker responses during a novel probe set increased with multiple exemplar instruction and participant D acquired the verbal developmental capability naming. |
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| 132. The Effects of Multiple Exemplar Instruction on the Induction of the Naming Capability |
| Area: VBC; Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| Alison M. Corwin (Teachers College Columbia University), SUSAN BUTTIGIEG (Teachers College Columbia University) |
| Abstract: We conducted two experiments to test the effects of multiple exemplar instruction (MEI) across speaker and listener responding on the induction of naming for four elementary school children diagnosed with autism. Participants in experiment 1 lacked the speaker half of naming, while participants in experiment 2 lacked the listener and speaker halves of naming. In Experiments 1 and 2 we used a delayed multiple probe design. In both experiments, pre and post MEI probes were administered in blocked sets to test for the emergence point, tact and intraverbal responses following teaching the match-to-sample responses while the experimenter said the words for the stimuli. The intervention consisted of MEI with training stimuli across match, point, tact and intraverbal responses using 2D and 3D contrived and novel (but noncontrived) stimuli. Following the intervention, post probes replicating the pre probe, as well as a novel set probe, were conducted. The results of experiment 1 showed that following MEI using contrived 3D stimuli, naming for 3D stimuli emerged for both participants, but naming for 2D stimuli did not emerge. Following MEI utilizing 2D contrived and novel stimuli, naming emerged for 2D stimuli for both participants. The results of experiment 2 showed that the listener and speaker components of naming emerged following MEI using 2D novel stimuli. |
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| 133. Generating Frames of Causation in Preschoolers |
| Area: VBC; Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| NICOLE PARRETT (Stephen F. Austin State University), Glen L. McCuller (Stephen F. Austin State University), Ginger Kelso (Stephen F. Austin State University), Chris Ninness (Stephen F. Austin State University), Robin Rumph (Stephen F. Austin State University), Andrea Goodwin (Stephen F. Austin State University) |
| Abstract: Relational frame theory (RFT) extends the equivalence paradigm by forwarding the notion that humans are capable of learning to respond in accordance with increasingly complex relations among stimuli. A frame of comparison involves relating stimuli along some dimension of quantity or quality (e.g., larger-than, higher-than). A frame of causation refers to stimuli that can be contrasted along some dimension in which objects or events are a function of one stimuli's "influence" on another stimulus or set of stimuli. As per Hayes et al. (2001) a hierarchical causal relation entails the listener ability to derive B due to the independent influence of A. A more complex network of causal relations may be inferred if the listener is able to derive that C occurred as a function of the influence of A in conjunction with B.
In this poster, results will be presented of a study to teach and assess the relations among orally expressed words, signed words, and picture representations of common facial expressions. In addition, learners will be assessed to determine if relational responding is sufficient to extend from the simple frame of coordination that was taught to a frame of causation related to everyday situations, and what additional training may be necessary. |
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| 134. Using Frames of Comparison to Generate Good Food Choices |
| Area: VBC; Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| SUMMER KOLTONSKI (Stephen F. Austin State University), Glen L. McCuller (Stephen F. Austin State University), Ginger Kelso (Stepen F. Austin State University), Robin Rumph (Stephen F. Austin State University), Chris Ninness (Stephen F. Austin State University) |
| Abstract: Relational frame theory extends the equivalence paradigm by forwarding the notion that humans are capable of learning to respond in accordance with increasingly complex relations among stimuli. A frame of comparison involves relating stimuli along some dimension of quantity or quality (e.g., larger-smaller, better-worse) and these may be made more specific by quantifying the relation along which the comparisons are made, in this case “healthier”. In this poster, results will be presented of a study to teach and assess the relations among orally presented words, signed words, and picture representations of different food choices. Learners will be assessed to determine if relational responding is sufficient to extend from the simple frame of coordination that was taught to a frame of comparison related to healthy food choices, and what additional training may be necessary to promote those choices. |
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| 135. Use of the Implicit Relational Association Procedure in Measuring Changes in Stigma Following a Brief Defusion Exercise |
| Area: VBC; Domain: Applied Behavior Analysis |
| Jon P Emory (The Chicago School of Professional Psychology), FAWNA STOCKWELL (The Chicago School of Professional Psychology), Diana J. Walker (The Chicago School of Professional Psychology), Scott A. Herbst (The Chicago School of Professional Psychology) |
| Abstract: The malleability of specific implicit attitudes has been measured and supported in numerous studies analyzing racial attitudes, ageist attitudes, homophobia, and others, using the implicit association test (IAT) (Greenwald, McGhee, & Schwartz, 1998). A more direct measurement employed in this study for assessing participant’s implicit attitudes is the implicit relational association procedure (IRAP). The IRAP is a computer-based procedure based on principles of Relational Frame Theory that directly measures participant’s implicit attitudes by measuring response latencies to specific stimuli (Barnes-Holmes, Power, Hayden, Milne, and Stewart, 2006). In this study, the IRAP was utilized to examine negative implicit attitudes toward people who identify as being gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) in college graduate students. The relational terms “True” and “False” were presented as response options with sample terms “Heterosexual” and “GLBT” and various positive and negative stimuli (i.e. “Normal,” “Abnormal,” “Healthy,” and “Sick”). Additionally, a paper questionnaire examined participants’ explicit attitudes related to the same sample terms and target stimuli prior to the IRAP. Data concerning changes in latencies following a brief defusion exercise are discussed at both the group and individual level. |
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