Analysis of some concrete-operational tasks from an interbehavioral standpoint

Abstract

In this paper some experiments concerning concrete-operational Piagetian skills are reviewed and discussed in light of the interbehavioral approach. The aim of the analysis in interbehavioral terms is to highlight the interacting role of antecedent stimuli and setting events in complex cognitive behaviors, in order to demonstrate that even cognitive behavior is purely a function of the organism-environment interaction. Three kinds of skills, that is, conservation, class inclusion, and classification, are considered. The classes of stimuli investigated are perceptual, linguistic, and training variables. All the experiments point out the efficacy of several stimulus events in inducing and modifying concrete-operational behaviors, even when the internal setting events are not favorable and suitable for an effective interaction. The implications for a theory of development are discussed.