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Barnes & Keenan 1993

APA Citation

Barnes, D., & Keenan, M. (1993). A transfer of functions through derived arbitrary and non-arbitrary stimulus relations. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 59, 61-81.

Publication Topic
Behavior Analysis: Empirical
RFT: Empirical
Publication Type
Article
Language
English
Keyword(s)
stimulus functions transference through derived arbitrary & nonarbitrary stimulus relations, college students
Abstract

The authors, researchers at the University of Coll and National University of Ireland, conducted four studies with 32 undergraduates (aged 18-30 yrs) revealing that when a given stimulus becomes discriminative for a particular performance on a complex, time-based schedule of reinforcement, the discriminative function of this stimulus may transfer through a range of derived stimulus relations to other stimuli. Stimulus functions transferred through equivalence relations, physical similarity, derived S+ and S- relations, and S-control. Responding during matching-to-sample tests corresponded perfectly with the derived performances shown across the transfer-of-control tests.

Comments
An elegant demonstration of transfer of functions through equivalence relations, with and without a prior equivalence test, and a generalised transfer through non-arbitrary relations. One of the most-cited transfer articles.