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Five‐year‐old children were taught three‐stage sequences of arbitrary matching: A‐C, B‐C, A‐D; A‐C, B‐D, B‐C; or A‐C, A‐D, B‐C. Each stage refers to a sample‐comparison relation between stimuli. Unreinforced test probes revealed untrained arbitrary matches (B‐D, A‐D, and B‐D, respectively), derivable by substitution of stimuli with a common sample or comparison function. Additional probes revealed further untrained sample‐comparison relations derivable by substitution and identity, including the commuted relations D‐B, D‐A, and D‐B, respectively. These processes may have relevance to conceptual and verbal behavior.

Israel (1978) evaluated and discussed research on positive and negative verbal-nonverbal correspondence. In the present report we attempt to delineate the relationship of correspondence training to two major intervention goals-producing (increasing) behavior and inhibiting (decreasing) behavior. The concepts of noncorrespondence and generalized positive correspondence are introduced. Past research relating to the correspondence analyses offered for the two intervention outcomes and possibilities for future research are discussed. The relationship of verbal correspondence training to the issues of response maintenance and response generalization is also examined.

The comparative translucency within and across five aided augmentative and alternative symbol systems or sets (Blissymbols, Picsyms, PIC, PCS, and Rebus) for symbols representing three parts of speech (nouns, verbs, and modifiers) was investigated. A sample of 41 items representing an initial lexicon was rated by undergraduate college students on a 7-point scale of iconicity. Results indicate that translucency varies among systems or sets and among parts of speech. Rebus and PCS were the most translucent overall; however, a number of Blissymbolics, Picsyms, and PIC symbols were also rated as highly translucent. Caution is indicated in extrapolating results to young or retarded learners because of the influence of normal adult knowledge and experience on translucency ratings. Care must also be taken in extrapolating to more advanced lexicons containing larger, more developmentally advanced vocabularies.

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