Relating relational networks: An initial experimental analysis

Author(s)

Gomes, Caina T. ; Perez, William F. F. ; Barnes-Holmes, Dermot ; Harte, Colin

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: JOURNAL OF THE EXPERIMENTAL ANALYSIS OF BEHAVIOR; v. 120, n. 2, p. 13-pg., 2023-05-12.

Abstract

Studying relating of relational networks is a complex and challenging task. The main objective of the present study was to demonstrate relating within and across relational networks based on same/opposite and bigger/smaller contextual cues and establish antecedent control. After nonarbitrary pretraining of the contextual cues, two nonsense stimulus classes were established based on comparative relations. Participants were trained to select stimuli from an array of options based on a symbolic rule that established a relation between two stimuli: one of Network 1 and one of Network 2. Training involved relating Network 1 to Network 2, and testing assessed relating Network 2 to Network 1. Seven of eight participants reached the mastery criterion in training and responded accordingly in test. In a final stage, reinforcing and punishing consequences were varied systematically in the presence of two novel stimuli and antecedent control was observed for all 7 participants. Experiment 2 replicated the results of Experiment 1 but using contextual cues taken from natural language, and Experiment 3 sought to understand the effects of pretraining relational responding using natural language. The mastery criteria were reached by four of seven participants in Experiment 2 and by all eight participants in Experiment 3. Future studies could develop and refine the methods employed here in analyzing the relating of relational networks, thus allowing for an increasingly sophisticated behavior-analytic account of human language and cognition. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 17/10037-0 - Transformation of emotional functions in comparison networks evaluated by semantic priming and event-related potentials ERP
• Grantee: João Henrique de Almeida
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor
• FAPESP's process: 19/24210-0 - Toward an RFT-based basic behavioral process analysis of fusion and defusion at the single-participant level.
• Grantee: Colin Harte
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 08/57705-8 - Institute for the Study of Behavior, Cognition and Teaching
• Grantee: Deisy das Graças de Souza
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 16/05935-6 - Transfer of function through equivalence classes involving facial expressions of happiness and fear
• Grantee: William Ferreira Perez
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants