The purpose of the present paper is to reconsider the problem of stimulus equivalence (SE). Primary emphasis is placed on the related areas of stimulus generalization, transposition, and discrimination learning as examples of SE. Recent evidence has indicated that the only comprehensive approach to SE, the Hull-Spence system, is inadequate to account for many phenomena in these areas. A theory of SE based on a combination of information and adaptation-level concepts is proposed as an alternative to the Hull-Spence theory. A number of investigations were conducted in order to test certain assumptions of the proposed theory. The results of these studies seem to provide rather striking support for the approach presented in this paper. A main advantage of the proposed theory is that the use of adaptation-level (AL) concepts permits quantitative predictions when an appropriate mathematical model for the calculation of AL is available. It is felt, however, that both in lieu of and in addition to quantitative predictions, that the present system has considerable heuristic value that may stimulate further research.
Byrne's (1961) R-S scale was administered to 244 university students. Those scoring in the 75th percentile or above were designated sensitizers; those in the 25th percentile and below, repressers. Forty Ss were selected from each of these two groups and were further sub-divided to form success and failure conditions. Ss then received a success or failure experience followed by a tachistoscopic task where eight critical words (words associated with the tests) and eight neutral words (words not associated) were presented. The following hypotheses were supported. (a) Repressers had higher thresholds than sensitizers for critical words under the failure condition. (b) There was no significant difference between repressers' and sensitizers' thresholds under the success condition. (c) Thresholds to neutral words, although following the same trend as critical words in the four groups, did not differ significantly for repressers and sensitizers under either the success or failure condition.
The present experiment was conducted to study possible differences in the overtraining reversal effect (ORE) as a function of whether the discrimination task is simultaneous or successive. None of the recent reviews (Paul, 1965;Mackintosh, 1965;Sperling, 1965) of the ORE deal specifically with the ORE in the successive discrimination. However, a recent mathematical theory by Lovejoy (1966) which is an extension of Mackintosh's (1965) attention theory would seem to make a differential prediction. One of the deductions from this theory is that the greater the difficulty of the initial discrimination the greater the magnitude of the ORE. Since it is generally found thatthe successive discrimination is more difficult than the simultaneous (Spence, 1952;Lipsitt, 1961;Loess & Duncan, 1952) Lovejoy's theory would seem to predict a greater ORE in the successive discrimination. The present study was conducted to test this possibility. Method Apparatus. The apparatus was a vertically mounted display panel 35 in. x 36 in. made from 1/2-in. plywood. Two stimulus apertures 8-1/4 in. x 10 in. separated by a 1/2-in. woodstrip were centered on the display panel. Directly below each stimulus aperture and 2-1/2 in. from the base of the display panel were two spring-held plungers that S pulled to indicate his choice. Atthe lower left-hand side 4-1/2 in. from the left side and 1-1/2 in. from the base was a slot 3 in. x 1 in. through which reinforcers could be delivered into a small cup. The stimuli were black squares mounted on white cards. In the simultaneous group a 2-in. square was paired with a 4-in. square. During presentation the position of the large square relative to the small one varied from right to left. For the successive group the 2-in. squares were paired in one setting, while two 4-in. squares were paired in the second setting.Procedure. Each child was run individually and sat faCing the display board so that the stimulus cards appeared directly before him and the plungers were within easy reach. S was instructed that he was to play a game in which he would be shown cards with squares on them. As a card came into view, he was to choose one square or the other and then pull the plunger beneath. If correct, he would receive a marble; if incorrect, no marble would be given. The game was to see how soon S could get a marble every time. Following the instructions E presented the stimulus cards from behind the display board, recorded all responses, and delivered
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