Simple Discrimination and Reversal Learning Sets in Typically Developing Young Children

Author(s)

Marson Postalli, Lidia Maria ^[1] ; Canovas, Daniela de Souza ^[2] ; de Souza, Deisy das Gracas ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Fed Sao Carlos, Dept Psicol, BR-13565905 Sao Carlos, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: PSYCHOLOGICAL RECORD; v. 65, n. 3, p. 411-423, SEP 2015.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

The present study investigated the acquisition of visual simple discrimination and reversal learning sets using intermixed discrimination training (i.e., two or more pairs of stimuli presented in the same session) in 2-year-old typically developing children. An additional purpose was to investigate the effects of the procedure on the production of functional classes. The study was a systematic replication of previous research conducted with preschool children. Three children participated in the study. The participants were initially exposed to simple discrimination training with two pairs of stimuli in separate sessions. The next phase involved intermixed discrimination training in which the two pairs of stimuli (A and B) were presented in the same session. After the criterion was reached, the children were exposed to repeated reversals with Pairs A and B. Two participants were exposed to an adaptation of the blocked-trial procedure before being exposed to sessions that presented the stimuli in a random sequence. The same sequence was conducted with three additional pairs of stimuli (C, D, and E), with the exception that all of the participants were exposed to the procedure without the blocked-trial procedure. The results indicated that all of the children learned discriminations and showed decreases in the number of sessions to reach the criterion and errors. The blocked-trial procedure was effective in producing errorless learning during the initial intermixed discriminations. However, during repeated reversals, the effects of the blocked-trial procedure were not so clear, since performance was influenced by motivational and other procedural variables. All three participants showed evidence of functional class formation in some of the reversal phases. Functional class formation was also influenced by the occurrence of errors and motivational variables. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 10/06422-6 - Reversals of simple sucessive discrimination and equivalence classes
• Grantee: Daniela de Souza Canovas
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate