SELECTIVE ATTENTION: THE EFFECTS OF COMBINING STIMULI WHICH CONTROL INCOMPATIBLE BEHAVIOR¹

Abstract

Four rhesus monkeys learned both a color and tilt discrimination. The stimuli were combined to produce incompatible behavior. The behavior controlled by one set of stimuli was reinforced until “errors” virtually disappeared. The stimuli were tested separately again. Sixteen replications of the entire procedure indicated that the stimuli producing “errors” were ignored.

Acquisition, Generalization, and Contextual Control of Taxonomic and Thematic Relational Responding

“…If both of these controlling relations are presumed to be functional , then what makes a subject more likely to select one than the other? The problem may be one of selective attention (e.g., Born, Snow, & Herbert, 1969;Ray, 1969;Reynolds, 1961).…”

Stimulus Control Shaping and Stimulus Control Topographies

“…Discriminative baselines were shown to involve mixtures of different stimulus-response relations (Sidman, 1969). And controlling stimulus-response relations were shown to have the properties ofoperant responses more generally (Ray, 1969). "Stimulus control topography" was chosen to help communicate these and other aspects of the subject matter.…”

“…Whereas response shaping refers to gradual changes in the response requirements of a reinforcement contingency, stimulus shaping would refer to gradual changes in the stimulus control requirements. Consistent with this usage, Ray (1969) sought to introduce the term "stimulus control topography" into the language of behavior analysis. The term was intended to parallel "response topography."…”

“…When we write papers, however, we often find ourselves adopting terms that seem less precise merely because we judge them less likely to mislead or confuse our audience. Given the interests of many behavior analysts in stimulus control and the high level of related research activity, the time seems ripe to reconsider and expand upon the proposals of Sidman and Stoddard (1967) and Ray (1969).…”

Predicting Taxonomic and Thematic Relational Responding

“…Responses to such configurations are necessarily forced choice and we say that one relation controlled on that particular trial even though both relations are potentially functional. Where it has been demonstrated that more than one relation exists, and selection of one or the other comparison occurs, the construct of selective attention is invoked (Ray, 1969), which describes, but does not explain, the resulting stimulus control where there is more than one possible controlling relation. In the natural environment, it seems reasonable to consider the existence of matching-to-sample configurations that consist of more than one functional stimulus relation, only one of which can be functional on an occasion because the subject can only make one response.…”