scholarly journals The interfering effect of emotional stimulus functions on stimulus equivalence class formation: implications for the understanding and treatment of anxiety

2009 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 215-234 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian T. Tyndall ◽  
Bryan Roche ◽  
Jack E. James
Author(s):  
Elberto A. Plazas ◽  
Deby Cortés

The hypothesis that exclusion performance is a prerequisite for the stimulus equivalence class formation was assessed in preschoolers of about 5 years of age. In Experiment 1, two groups of children were trained in a set of conditional discriminations in a two-choice matching to sample format, Group 1 in an auditory-visual modality baseline, and Group 2 in a visual-visual modality baseline. Exclusion test trials included an undefined (not previously related) comparison stimulus, and a defined (i.e., related in the baseline) comparison stimulus, in the presence of an undefined sample stimulus. Selection of the undefined comparison was recorded as a correct response. Stimulus equivalence class formation was assessed by way of symmetry and transitivity test trials. Experiment 2 replicated the design of the first experiment, with the difference that exclusion was assessed independently and with a different baseline from symmetry and transitivity. Exclusion scores were higher for the auditory-visual groups than the visual-visual groups. In both modalities symmetry scores were superior to those in transitivity. Symmetry showed independent from the exclusion performance, but transitivity was presumably dependent from it in the auditory-visual modality.


2009 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 575-593 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lanny Fields ◽  
Robert Travis ◽  
Deborah Roy ◽  
Eytan Yadlovker ◽  
Liliane de Aguiar-Rocha ◽  
...  

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