Auditory-visual Discriminations Research Articles

Emergence of auditory-visual discrimination and tacts through exclusionary responding.

This study examined if listener behavior and responding by exclusion would emerge after training 3 participants with autism to tact stimuli. Tacts for 2 of 3 stimuli were directly trained using discrete trial training methodology and were followed by an auditory-visual discrimination probe in which auditory-visual discrimination by naming (i.e., bidirectional naming of trained tacts) and auditory-visual discrimination by exclusion were assessed; in subsequent sessions, tacting by exclusion probes were conducted in which tacts for the exclusion target (i.e., stimulus not trained as a tact) were assessed. All 3 participants demonstrated auditory-visual discrimination by naming, auditory-visual discrimination by exclusion, and tacting by exclusion across all comparisons. Results suggest that programming for learning by exclusion can provide an efficient way to enhance skill acquisition.

Preliminary evidence suggests that functional reinforcement contingencies may result in more rapid acquisition of initial auditory-visual discriminations for some individuals with autism spectrum disorder1

Q(1) Which is more effective at establishing initial auditory-visual discriminations for individuals with autism spectrum disorder: functional reinforcement or arbitrary reinforcement contingencies...

Sample First versus Comparison First Stimulus Presentations: Preliminary Findings for Two Individuals with Autism.

The current study was a replication of Petursdottir and Aguilar (Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 46, 58-68, 2016). Two different stimulus presentations were evaluated during auditory-visual discrimination training. A sample-first procedure, in which the sample stimulus was presented before the comparison stimuli, was compared to a comparison-first procedure, in which the sample presentation was presented after the comparison stimuli. The results indicated that both participants learned more quickly in the comparison-first condition, a finding that differed from Petursdottir and Aguilar (Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 46, 58-68, 2016).

A Neural Circuit for Auditory Dominance over Visual Perception

When conflicts occur during integration of visual and auditory information, one modality often dominates the other, but the underlying neural circuit mechanism remains unclear. Using auditory-visual discrimination tasks for head-fixed mice, we found that audition dominates vision in a process mediated by interaction between inputs from the primary visual (VC) and auditory (AC) cortices in the posterior parietal cortex (PTLp). Co-activation of the VC and AC suppresses VC-induced PTLp responses, leaving AC-induced responses. Furthermore, parvalbumin-positive (PV+) interneurons in the PTLp mainly receive AC inputs, and muscimol inactivation of the PTLp or optogenetic inhibition of its PV+ neurons abolishes auditory dominance in the resolution of cross-modal sensory conflicts without affecting either sensory perception. Conversely, optogenetic activation of PV+ neurons in the PTLp enhances the auditory dominance. Thus, our results demonstrate that AC input-specific feedforward inhibition of VC inputs in the PTLp is responsible for the auditory dominance during cross-modal integration.

Auditory-Visual Discrimination in Adults with Postlingual Hearing Impairment and Cochlear Implants

Auditory-Visual Discrimination in Adults with Postlingual Hearing Impairment and Cochlear Implants

Emergence of Auditory-Visual Relations via Equivalence Class Formation in Children Diagnosed with Autism

The acquisition of auditory-visual discriminations can be difficult for children diagnosed with autism. Training with class-specific consequences may be one way to facilitate acquisition of such discriminations in this population, compared to the standard all-visual procedure. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the emergence of visual-visual and auditory-visual relations in children diagnosed with autism using class-specific consequences in a simpler training protocol that was based on identity matching. Four children participated in the study. The procedure comprised the following phases: 1) identity matching training (AA and BB), 2) tests for AB and BA emergent conditional discriminations, 3) training of non-emergent AB and BA relations (if necessary), 4) test for emergent SA auditory-visual discrimination, 5) auditory-visual discrimination training (if necessary), and 6) test for emergent SB auditory-visual discrimination. Two of the four participants showed emergence of equivalence relations involving visual (AB and BA) and auditory-visual (SA and SB) stimuli. These results document the inclusion of auditory stimuli (spoken words) in equivalence classes when presented as class-specific consequences in training. The data encourage further investigation of procedures for establishing auditory-visual discriminations via equivalence class formation with class-specific consequences in children diagnosed with autism. Two other participants did not reach the learning criterion for arbitrary conditional discrimination training. One possibility is that these difficulties are due to a lack of a prerequisite repertoire. Such data confirm findings of other studies and illustrate the difficulty associated with establishing these types of discriminations in low-functioning children diagnosed with autism.

Learning Name–Object Relations After a Single Exclusion Trial in 18- to 48-Month-Old Children

Responding by exclusion is a well-documented phenomenon, but data on the maintenance of word–object relations acquired using this procedure are highly variable. The present study included a sample of 80 children, ages 18 to 48 months, to determine whether age is a critical variable in learning name–object relations after a single exclusion trial. The sample was divided into 4 groups according to age. After establishing a baseline of auditory-visual discrimination (familiar names and objects) in matching-to-sample tasks, 3 test blocks were conducted. Each block had 8 baseline trials and 2 probe trials: an exclusion probe (i.e., an unknown name was dictated, and the comparisons were 2 familiar toys, an unknown toy, and a blank comparison) and a learning probe that verified whether the relationship established between the unknown stimuli on the exclusion probe was maintained in a further test trial. The majority of the children chose unknown objects in the exclusion probes. Analyses of the proportion of correct responses in the learning probes revealed a significant difference in performance between the groups of younger (18–30 months) and older children (31–48 months), indicating an improvement in learning the name–object relations after a single exclusion trial in the groups of older children.

Perceptual assimilation of lexical tone: the roles of language experience and visual information.

Using Best’s (1995) perceptual assimilation model (PAM), we investigated auditory–visual (AV), auditory-only (AO), and visual-only (VO) perception of Thai tones. Mandarin and Cantonese (tone-language) speakers were asked to categorize Thai tones according to their own native tone categories, and Australian English (non-tone-language) speakers to categorize Thai tones into their native intonation categories—for instance, question or statement. As comparisons, Thai participants completed a straightforward identification task, and another Australian English group identified the Thai tones using simple symbols. All of the groups also completed an AX discrimination task. Both the Mandarin and Cantonese groups categorized AO and AV Thai falling tones as their native level tones, and Thai rising tones as their native rising tones, although the Mandarin participants found it easier to categorize Thai level tones than did the Cantonese participants. VO information led to very poor categorization for all groups, and AO and AV information also led to very poor categorizations for the English intonation categorization group. PAM’s predictions regarding tone discriminability based on these category assimilation patterns were borne out for the Mandarin group’s AO and AV discriminations, providing support for the applicability of the PAM to lexical tones. For the Cantonese group, however, PAM was unable to account for one specific discrimination pattern—namely, their relatively good performance on the Thai high–rising contrast in the auditory conditions—and no predictions could be derived for the English groups. A full account of tone assimilation will likely need to incorporate considerations of phonetic, and even acoustic, similarity and overlap between nonnative and native tone categories.

Universality and language-specific experience in the perception of lexical tone and pitch

ABSTRACTTwo experiments focus on Thai tone perception by native speakers of tone languages (Thai, Cantonese, and Mandarin), a pitch–accent (Swedish), and a nontonal (English) language. In Experiment 1, there was better auditory-only and auditory–visual discrimination by tone and pitch–accent language speakers than by nontone language speakers. Conversely and counterintuitively, there was better visual-only discrimination by nontone language speakers than tone and pitch–accent language speakers. Nevertheless, visual augmentation of auditory tone perception in noise was evident for all five language groups. In Experiment 2, involving discrimination in three fundamental frequency equivalent auditory contexts, tone and pitch–accent language participants showed equivalent discrimination for normal Thai speech, filtered speech, and violin sounds. In contrast, nontone language listeners had significantly better discrimination for violin sounds than filtered speech and in turn speech. Together the results show that tone perception is determined by both auditory and visual information, by acoustic and linguistic contexts, and by universal and experiential factors.

Emergence of auditory-visual relations from a visual-visual baseline with auditory-specific consequences in individuals with autism.

Empirical studies have demonstrated that class-specific contingencies may engender stimulus-reinforcer relations. In these studies, crossmodal relations emerged when crossmodal relations comprised the baseline, and intramodal relations emerged when intramodal relations were taught during baseline. This study investigated whether auditory-visual relations (crossmodal) would emerge after participants learned a visual-visual baseline (intramodal) with auditory stimuli presented as specific consequences. Four individuals with autism learned AB and CD relations with class-specific reinforcers. When A1 and C1 were presented as samples, the selections of B1 and D1, respectively, were followed by an edible (R1) and a sound (S1). Selections of B2 and D2 under the control of A2 and C2, respectively, were followed by R2 and S2. Probe trials tested for visual-visual AC, CA, AD, DA, BC, CB, BD, and DB emergent relations and auditory-visual SA, SB, SC, and SD emergent relations. All of the participants demonstrated the emergence of all auditory-visual relations, and three of four participants showed emergence of all visual-visual relations. Thus, the emergence of auditory-visual relations from specific auditory consequences suggests that these relations do not depend on crossmodal baseline training. The procedure has great potential for applied technology to generate auditory-visual discriminations and stimulus classes in the context of behavior-analytic interventions for autism.

Comparison of simple and complex auditory‐visual conditional discrimination training

We investigated the relative effects of simple and complex auditory-visual discrimination training using an adapted alternating treatments design to establish derived stimulus relations in 2 children who had been diagnosed with autism and 1 typically developing peer. Emergence of untrained conditional relations was observed after training in both conditions, with a possible advantage of simple-sample training for 1 participant. Results of generalization and follow-up probes were mixed.

RESPONDER POR EXCLUSÃO A PARTIR DE UMA LINHA DE BASE DE DISCRIMINAÇÕES CONDICIONAIS VISUAIS

Este trabalho investigou o responder de escolha por “exclusão”, fenômeno comportamental robusto, demonstrado experimentalmente pela seleção imediata de um estímulo de comparação indefinido, diante de um estímulo modelo também indefinido experimentalmente, sem uma história prévia que torne o estímulo de comparação discriminativo para a resposta de seleção. A exclusão tem sido extensamente replicada com uma preparação experimental de linha de base de discriminações condicionais auditivo-visuais. O presente estudo investigou a ocorrência da exclusão quando apenas estímulos visuais são utilizados como modelos e comparações. Dois experimentos empregaram os mesmos arranjos experimentais dos estudos prévios, substituindo os modelos auditivos pelos visuais, com a linha de base para os testes de exclusão envolvendo um mesmo modelo relacionado a vários estímulos de comparação (Experimento I) ou vários modelos relacionados a um mesmo estímulo de comparação (Experimento II). Nove crianças de 4 a 5 anos foram expostas à seguinte seqüência experimental: (a) estabelecimento de uma linha de base de discriminações condicionais visuais um para um; (b) testes de exclusão; (c) ampliação da linha de base pelo ensino de discriminações condicionais inter-relacionadas; (d) novos testes de exclusão; e (e) testes de formação de classes de estímulos. Todos os participantes adquiriram as discriminações condicionais e apresentaram o responder por exclusão e a formação de classes de equivalência. Esses resultados estendem as descobertas sobre a escolha por exclusão, demonstrando que não é dependente do envolvimento da modalidade auditiva, e fortalecem a noção de que esse comportamento emergente tem origem nos mesmos processos básicos envolvidos na formação de classes de equivalência. Palavras-chave: exclusão, comportamento emergente, discriminação condicional, topografia de controle de estímulos, controle por seleção, controle por rejeição

Does mastery of ABLA Level 6 make it easier for children with autism to learn to name objects?

The Assessment of Basic Learning Abilities (ABLA) was developed to assess the ease or difficulty with which individuals with intellectual disabilities are able to learn an imitation task and five 2-choice discriminations, called levels. Level 6 is an auditory–visual discrimination. We examined whether children with autism who passed ABLA Level 6 (Group 1) would more readily learn to name objects than children with autism who failed Level 6 (Group 2). The 2 groups were matched on the communication subscale of the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale. Group 1 learned more object names, and in significantly fewer trials, than Group 2. The implications for language training are discussed.

Does Mastery of ABLA Level 6 Make it Easier for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities to Learn to Name Objects?

Level 6 of the Assessment of Basic Learning Abilities (ABLA) assesses the ease or difficulty with which persons with developmental disabilities are able to learn a two-choice auditory-visual discrimination. We investigated whether participants who passed ABLA Level 6 (Group 1) would more readily learn object naming (vocal tacts) than those who failed ABLA Level 6 (Group 2). The groups were matched on the Communication Subscale of the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale. Results indicated that Group 1 met mastery criterion for a significantly larger number of naming responses and in significantly fewer trials than Group 2. The implications for language training are discussed.

Does ABLA Test Performance on the ABLA Test Predict Picture Receptive Name Recognition with Persons with Severe Developmental Disabilities?

Research has shown that performance on the Assessment of Basic Learning Abilities (ABLA) test correlates with language assessments for persons with developmental disabilities. This study investigated whether performance on ABLA Level 6, an auditory-visual discrimination, predicts performance on a receptive language task with persons with severe developmental disabilities. Five participants who passed ABLA Level 6, and five who failed ABLA Level 6, were each tested on five 2-choice discriminations that required them to point to pictures of common objects after hearing their names. Four of the five participants who had failed ABLA Level 6 failed all of the receptive name recognition tasks. All five participants who had passed ABLA Level 6 passed all of the name recognition tasks. The practical implications of these results are discussed.

Teaching Equivalence Relations to Individuals with Minimal Verbal Repertoires: Are Visual and Auditory-Visual Discriminations Predictive of Stimulus Equivalence?

The relationship between language, performance on the Assessment of Basic Learning Abilities (ABLA) test, and stimulus equivalence was examined. Five participants with minimal verbal repertoires were studied; 3 who passed up to ABLA Level 4, a visual quasi-identity discrimination and 2 who passed ABLA Level 6, an auditory-visual non identity discrimination. Only the latter 2 participants demonstrated positive equivalence test outcomes similar to previous studies (Brady … McLean, 2000; Carr, Wilkinson, Blackman, … Mcllvane, 2000). The results suggest that well-developed language skills are not necessary to demonstrate positive outcomes on equivalence tests among three 3-member stimulus classes, and that visual and auditory discriminations as measured by the ABLA test may be prerequisite for the learning of equivalence relations.

Visual-visual nonidentity matching assessment: a worthwhile addition to the assessment of basic learning abilities test.

The Assessment of Basic Learning Abilities test (ABLA) is a useful tool for choosing appropriate training tasks for persons with developmental disabilities. This test assesses the ease or difficulty with which persons are able to learn six hierarchically positioned discrimination tasks. A visual-visual nonidentity matching prototype task was examined to assess its (a). relation to the ABLA hierarchy, (b). predictive validity, and (c). test-retest reliability. Results from 23 participants with developmental disabilities suggest that visual-visual nonidentity matching is a worthwhile addition to the ABLA test and is positioned in the ABLA hierarchy above Level 4 (visual-visual identity matching) and below Level 6 (auditory-visual discrimination). The prototype visual-visual nonidentity matching task also demonstrated high predictive validity and test-retest reliability.

Effects of exemplar training in exclusion responding on auditory-visual discrimination tasks with children with autism.

In Experiment 1 with 7 autistic children (3 to 6 years old), auditory-visual exclusion was tested with four unknown word-item pairs for each child. One child demonstrated exclusion and positive learning outcomes unequivocally with the four auditory-visual relations. Three children demonstrated exclusion, though inconsistently, and failed to demonstrate positive learning outcomes. The remaining 3 children failed to demonstrate exclusion; therefore, the learning outcome test was omitted. The 6 children who failed to demonstrate exclusion or positive learning outcomes participated in the second experiment. In Experiment 2, nonreinforced exclusion trials with four new unknown word-item pairs were included in trial blocks that also contained reinforced exclusion trials with the unknown exemplars from Experiment 1. Five children demonstrated exclusion with the new word-item pairs, and 4 of these demonstrated positive learning outcomes in further tests. One child demonstrated some limited but inconsistent improvement in exclusion and was not tested for learning outcomes. The data suggest that contemporaneous presentation of multiple examples of reinforced exclusion facilitated nonreinforced exclusion performances and that the resulting reduction in errors was critical in producing accurate learning outcomes with the new word-item discriminations.

Emergencia de relaciones expresivas y receptivas en el entrenamiento de letras y números en niños diagnosticados con Autismo [Emergence of expresive and receptive relations in the training of numbers and letters in children diagnosed with Autism

Conditional discrimination training is considered as one of the most effective learning processes to teach children diagnosed with autism in labelling, i.e., object, attribute and concept designation. This discriminative learning can take place in two symmetric modalities: receptive and expressive. In the receptive modality an auditory-visual discrimination is required; in the expressive modality the child has to do a visual-auditory discrimination. The present work shows the results of two single-case experimental studies with a double objective: in one hand, to evaluate the relative acquisition rate from one modality another (receptive vs. expressive). In the other hand, to test the possible emergence of the symmetric relationship when just one is trained. Data are discussed in terms of the theory of symmetric responding and also integrated in the clinical practice, given its potential of learning facilitation.

Two new empirically derived reasons to use the assessment of basic learning abilities.

The Assessment of Basic Learning Abilities (ABLA) comprises six levels of hierarchically ordered visual and auditory-visual discriminations. Scores on the ABLA, Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, and the Wechsler Intelligence Scale-Revised were obtained for 30 participants selected using a stratified random sample (i.e., by level of mental retardation) from 499 people served by a state center. Two noteworthy findings were (a) that correlations between the Vineland domains and the ABLA were all significant and ranged between .65 and .73, and (b) no participant performing below ABLA Level 6 was testable on the WAIS-R. Thus, Level 6 can be used as an efficient screen to determine the testability of this population on standardized intelligence tests. Implications for practitioners are discussed.