Experimental Analysis Of Behavior Research Articles

Exploratory Study of Equivalence under Conjoint Select and Reject Control

Carrigan and Sidman Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 58, 183-204, (1992) proposed that select and reject arbitrary conditional relations are equivalence relations, each resulting in the emergence of alternative stimulus equivalence classes. The standard matching to sample (MTS) procedure can potentially teach both select and reject conditional relations, which apparently would prevent the emergence of equivalence relations, although there is extensive evidence for the emergence of equivalence with the standard MTS procedure. One possibility is that participants trained with the standard MTS procedure predominantly learn one type of control over the other. Experiment 1 explores the implementation of a Detached-MTS procedure, which separately trains the select and reject conditional relations involved in the Standard-MTS procedure. The results suggest that the emergence of equivalence relations may be compatible with conjoint select and reject conditional control. In Experiment 2, the Detached-MTS procedure succeeds in replicating the emergence of equivalence under exclusive select control but not under exclusive reject control, which conditions the findings of Experiment 1. The sources of control associated with the emergence of equivalence in the standard MTS procedure and some methodological issues of the Detached-MTS procedure are discussed.

The Evolution of the Conceptually Systematic Dimension and Its Current Functions in Applied Behavior Analysis.

What does it mean to be conceptually systematic in contemporary applied behavior analysis (ABA) research and practice? To answer this question, the present study conducted a historical analysis of ABA scholars' interpretations of the conceptually systematic dimension of ABA over the last 55 years. The present article found the current characteristics of the conceptually systematic dimension are indeed sufficient to suggest ABA's conceptual independence from the experimental analysis of behavior or any other subdisciplines of behavior analysis. Based on this finding, this article addresses the challenges in contemporary ABA field such as ABA's own basic and applied continuum, translational research, and its relationship with other disciplines' research and practice.

Response-dependent point loss and response force as disrupting operations on behavioral resistance to change in humans.

Behavioral momentum theory (BMT) provides a theoretical and methodological framework for understanding how differentially maintained operant responding resists disruption. A common way to test operant resistance involves contingencies with suppressive effects, such as extinction or prefeeding. Other contingencies with known suppressive effects, such as response-cost procedures arranged as point-loss or increases in response force, remain untested as disruptive events within the BMT framework. In the present set of three experiments, responding of humans was maintained by point accumulation programmed according to a multiple variable-interval (VI) VI schedule with different reinforcement rates in either of two components. Subsequently, subtracting a point following each response (Experiment 1) or increasing the force required for the response to be registered (Experiments 2 and 3 decreased response rates, but responding was less disrupted in the component associated with the higher reinforcement rate. The point-loss contingency and increased response force similarly affected response rates by suppressing responding and human persistence, replicating previous findings with humans and nonhuman animals when other types of disruptive events (e.g., extinction and prefeeding) were investigated. The present findings moreover extend the generality of the effects of reinforcement rate on persistence, and thus BMT, extending the analysis of resistance to two well-known manipulations used to reduce responding in the experimental analysis of behavior.

In Memoriam: Peter J. Urcuioli (1952-2022).

Journal of the Experimental Analysis of BehaviorEarly View IN MEMORIAM In Memoriam: Peter J. Urcuioli (1952–2022) Marco Vasconcelos, Marco Vasconcelos University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USASearch for more papers by this authorKaren M. Lionello-DeNolf, Corresponding Author Karen M. Lionello-DeNolf [email protected] Assumption University, Worcester, Massachusetts, USASearch for more papers by this authorMelissa Swisher, Melissa Swisher Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USASearch for more papers by this authorMary M. Sweeney, Mary M. Sweeney National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USASearch for more papers by this author Marco Vasconcelos, Marco Vasconcelos University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USASearch for more papers by this authorKaren M. Lionello-DeNolf, Corresponding Author Karen M. Lionello-DeNolf [email protected] Assumption University, Worcester, Massachusetts, USASearch for more papers by this authorMelissa Swisher, Melissa Swisher Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USASearch for more papers by this authorMary M. Sweeney, Mary M. Sweeney National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USASearch for more papers by this author First published: 16 June 2023 https://doi.org/10.1002/jeab.869Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL REFERENCES Campos, H. C., Urcuioli, P. J., & Swisher, M. 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Acquired equivalences and mediated generalization in pigeons' matching-to-sample. In T. R. Zentall & P. M. Smeets (Eds.), Stimulus class formation (pp. 55– 70). North-Holland. Urcuioli, P. J. (2005). Behavioral and associative effects of differential outcomes in discrimination learning. Learning & Behavior, 33(1), 1– 21. https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03196047 Urcuioli, P. J. (2008). Associative symmetry, antisymmetry, and a theory of pigeons' equivalence-class formation. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 90(3), 257– 282. https://doi.org/10.1901/jeab.2008.90-257 Urcuioli, P. J., & Zentall, T. R. (1986). Retrospective coding in pigeons' delayed matching-to-sample. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Behavior Processes, 12, 69– 77. https://doi.org/10.1037/0097-7403.12.1.69 Urcuioli, P. J., Zentall, T. R., Jackson-Smith, P., & Steirn, J. N. (1989). Evidence for common coding in many-to-one matching: Retention, intertrial interference, and transfer. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Behavior Processes, 15(3), 264– 273. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/0097-7403.15.3.264 Zentall, T. R., Sherburne, L. M., & Urcuioli, P. J. (1995). Coding of hedonic and nonhedonic samples by pigeons in many-to-one delayed matching. Animal Learning & Behavior, 23(2), 189– 196. https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03199934 Zentall, T. R., Wasserman, E. A., & Urcuioli, P. J. (2014). Associative concept learning in animals. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 101(1), 130– 151. https://doi.org/10.1002/jeab.55 Early ViewOnline Version of Record before inclusion in an issue ReferencesRelatedInformation

Numerical and Experimental Behavior Analysis of Slabs Strengthened Using Steel Plates and Slurry-Infiltrated Mat Concrete (SIMCON) Laminates

This study has two main aims; firstly, investigating the behavior of slabs that are strengthened with different types of reinforcements and with Slurry-Infiltrated Mat Concrete (SIMCON) laminates, having different dimensions and thicknesses and subjected to static and dynamic (impact) loads. Secondly, the development of a non-linear finite element (FE) model to simulate the behavior of the tested slabs utilizing the ABAQUS/Standard package. The modeling of the NSC slabs strengthened with either SIMCON or steel plates involves using three-dimensional solid elements that are partially integrated with the modeling of concretes using the 8-node brick element (C3D8R). The results of the experimental and numerical investigations are compared to examine whether the slab modeling is sufficient. The comparison includes the element type, material characteristics, real constants, and convergence study. The predicted ultimate load-carrying capacity versus vertical deformation response is compared with the lab results that correspond with it, as obtained via the FE analysis of all tested slabs. In addition, the results of the FE analysis of slab specimens that are strengthened with steel plates were compared to the results of the ones strengthened using SIMCON laminates. The obtained results have led to a number of significant observations. Considering the punching shear strength, it was found that using SIMCON strengthening in different dimensions increased the slab’s punching shear capacity and outperformed steel-strengthened slabs. As for the plate stiffness, SIMCON-strengthened slabs presented higher stiffness rates than steel-strengthened slabs, to the extent that even 20 mm SIMCON strengthening outperformed the steel plate-strengthened slabs of any thickness or dimensions. The axial load-displacement relationships indicate that all the numerical models show a stiffer behavior when compared with the experimental axial load-displacement relationships. The slab thickness of SIMCON significantly affects the load-carrying capacity, and it increases with the increase in thickness. Likewise, using strengthening from steel plates gives a higher load-carrying capacity. Finally, since the results of the yield line analyses for these slabs are found to match the experimental results closely, this method is considered to be suitable for practical use in determining the strength of plated slabs. Therefore, the conclusion is drawn that the proposed FE model can be sufficiently used in evaluating the dynamic responses of slabs strengthened with SIMCON or steel plates and subjected to cyclic and impact load.

International publication trends in basic, applied, and conceptual behavior-analytic journals.

The analysis of international and collaborative publication trends in prominent behavior-analytic journals has been a topic of interest for behavioral researchers. This paper focuses on publication trends from 1997 through 2020 in three prominent journals: Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior (JEAB), Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis (JABA), and Perspectives on Behavior Science (PBS). The variable of interest was the percentage of articles published per geographical category-Australasia/East Asia, Europe, Latin America, Middle East, North America, and Africa. The results showed that 79, 96, and 87% of the published articles in JEAB, JABA, and PBS, respectively, were conducted by researchers with a North American affiliation. Furthermore, 12, 4, and 4% of the articles in JEAB, JABA, and PBS, respectively, were coauthored by at least two researchers from different geographical categories.

Differences of Training Structures on Stimulus Class Formation in Computational Agents

Stimulus Equivalence (SE) is a behavioural phenomenon in which organisms respond functionally to stimuli without explicit training. SE provides a framework in the experimental analysis of behaviour to study language, symbolic behaviour, and cognition. It is also a frequently discussed matter in interdisciplinary research, linking behaviour analysis with linguistics and neuroscience. Previous research has attempted to replicate SE with computational agents, mostly based on Artificial Neural Network (ANN) models. The aim of this paper was to analyse the effect of three Training Structures (TSs) on stimulus class formation in a simulation with ANNs as computational agents performing a classification task, in a matching-to-sample procedure. Twelve simulations were carried out as a product of the implementation of four ANN architectures on the three TSs. SE was not achieved, but two agents showed an emergent response on half of the transitivity test pairs on linear sequence TSs and reflexivity on one member of the class. The results suggested that an ANN with a large enough number of units in a hidden layer can perform a limited number of emergent relations within specific experimental conditions: reflexivity on B and transitivity on AC, when pairs AB and BC are trained on a three-member stimulus class and tested in a classification task. Reinforcement learning is proposed as the framework for further simulations.

Applied behavior analysis and the zoo: Forthman and Ogden (1992) thirty years later.

The field of applied behavior analysis has been directly involved in both research and applications of behavioral principles to improve the lives of captive zoo animals. Thirty years ago, Forthman and Ogden (1992) wrote one of the first papers documenting some of these efforts. Since that time, considerable work has been done using behavioral principles and procedures to guide zoo welfare efforts. The current paper reexamines and updates Forthman and Ogden's original points, with attention to the 5 categories they detailed: (a) promotion of species-typical behavior, (b) reintroduction and repatriation of endangered species, (c) animal handling, (d) pest control, and (e) animal performances. In addition, we outline 3 current and future directions for behavior analytic endeavors: (a) experimental analyses of behavior and the zoo, (b) applied behavior analysis and the zoo, and (c) single-case designs and the zoo. The goal is to provide a framework that can guide future behavioral research in zoos, as well as create applications based on these empirical evaluations.

Sample Size in Behavioral Research: A Systematic Review of JEAB and JABA from 2009 to 2018

The current research conducted a systematic review on sample size and the use of inferential statistics in basic and applied behavioral research by assessing all experimental studies from 2009 to 2018 in the Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior (JEAB) and the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis (JABA) which was 1,155 articles. The use or non-use of inferential statistics in behavioral research remains controversial as visual inspection has deep historical roots. JEAB had a median number of eight subjects and JABA had a median number of four subjects, which was statistically different using Mood’s median test. In addition, articles in JEAB were more likely to use inferential statistics compared to JABA. In general, inferential statistics were used in the presence of larger sample sizes, however, the use of animal subjects was associated with smaller sample sizes. Although patterns of the use of inferential statistics varied across journal, sample size, and species, this does not preclude the use of statistical methods by applied behavioral researchers, which should be used to support and confirm visual inspections of data. Keywords: sample size, inferential statistics, behavioral research, systematic review.

Current Dimensions of Applied Behavior Analysis in Mainland China: A Review of 20 Years of Research.

In the West, the field of applied behavior analysis (ABA) evolved over 7 decades from the experimental analysis of behavior. In this evolutionary process, seven dimensions of ABA emerged: applied, behavioral, analytic, technological, conceptual, effective, and generality. In contrast, ABA was introduced into mainland China only about 20 years ago as a direct result of the rise in autism diagnosis in that country, and only since then has it become an area of research there. The purpose of this study is to critically evaluate ABA research published in China by focusing on its seven dimensions. The results of our review reveal that the level of acceptance of and interest in the seven ABA dimensions varies across the studies sampled. Recommendations for the future development of ABA research in China are offered.

Call for Applications: Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior announces the 2023 call for applications for Educational Grants, the Graduate Student Translational Research Grant, and the Graduate Student Diversity Scholarship.

Call for Applications: Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior announces the 2023 call for applications for Educational Grants, the Graduate Student Translational Research Grant, and the Graduate Student Diversity Scholarship.

Call for Papers: Announcing a special issue of the Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior with emphasis on: Goal Direction and Habit in Operant Behavior.

Call for Papers: Announcing a special issue of the Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior with emphasis on: Goal Direction and Habit in Operant Behavior.

A Scoping Review of Musical Training with the Methods of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior

A Scoping Review of Musical Training with the Methods of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior

The Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior announces a special issue on the topic of: Experimental Analysis of Canine Behavior and Cognition.

Journal of the Experimental Analysis of BehaviorVolume 118, Issue 2 p. 349-349 Call For Papers The Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior announces a special issue on the topic of: Experimental Analysis of Canine Behavior and Cognition First published: 19 September 2022 https://doi.org/10.1002/jeab.800Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article. Volume118, Issue2Special Issue: Strengthening the Research‐practice Loop in Applied Animal BehaviorSeptember 2022Pages 349-349 RelatedInformation

Grounding applied animal behavior practices in the experimental analysis of behavior.

Some of the earliest applications outside the laboratory of principles derived from the experimental analysis of behavior (EAB), such as the pioneering work of Keller and Marian Breland, involved animals. This translational tradition continues to the present as EAB-related behavior principles are applied with increasing frequency to behavior management and training practices with animals in nonlaboratory settings. Such translations, and those populations to which they are applied, benefit from a rigorous experimental analysis of practices that are promulgated in popular outlets. These translations both affirm the generality of those principles and serve as goads for laboratory and field research that can further articulate extant principles, develop new ones, and refine methods of application and assessment. This review considered several areas of basic EAB research and contemporary applied animal behavior (AAB) practices in relation to one another: (1) response establishment and maintenance, (2) response reduction and elimination, (3) chaining and conditioned reinforcement, and (4) discriminative stimulus control. Within each topic, a selection of processes and procedures in both EAB and AAB work were reviewed in relation to one another.

The ideal free distribution accounts for free‐operant domesticated dog foraging

The Ideal Free Distribution suggests the relative allocation of the number of organisms foraging across two or more resource sites will match the relative density of reinforcement patches in those resource sites. This initial project sought to develop a new method of foraging research for dogs by using a commercially available treat dispenser in basic behavioral research. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the Ideal Free Distribution equation could describe the behavior of the domesticated dog in a daycare setting. Toward this end, we recorded dog behavior in a free operant arrangement on various variable-time schedules of reinforcement. Results indicated matching occurred in the dog sample, which corresponded with the Ideal Free Distribution equation, with a slight visual appearance toward undermatching, consistent with extant literature on group foraging. Furthermore, there was a lack of bias in the current sample of foraging dogs. Implications and future directions involve extending foraging research in the domesticated dog. That the study occurred in a local dog daycare specifically highlights how practical concerns in animal welfare and/or training can be addressed in rigorous ways with strong conceptual foundations in the experimental analysis of behavior.

Confluence of Science and History in the Experimental Analysis of Behavior Course.

This is a review of content and method for incorporating the history of the experimental analysis of behavior (EAB) into the EAB course, although the material also could be adapted for any course related to the topics of learning and behavior change, or the history of psychology. Six elements associated with establishing a new discipline are considered as a framework for introducing the history of EAB: the intellectual leader/founding scientist(s), early proponents of the new area who advance and elaborate on the founder's ideas, the cultural context in which the discipline develops, a set of methods, a textbook, and means of communicating with other, similarly inclined scientists. The historical ebb and flow of research and some of the reasons for these shifts are discussed next, with examples of EAB research themes that have shifted over time. Illustrating the history of EAB with specific milestone experiments seems a useful way to both introduce substantive research and its history. To that end, milestone experiments in EAB are discussed. The review ends with considerations about locating historical material within the EAB course.

Connecting animal trainers and behavior analysts through loopy training.

The communities of behavior analysts and animal trainers remain relatively disconnected despite potentially beneficial links between behavioral principles and the practices of animal training. Describing existing links between research by behavior analysts and practices used by animal trainers may foster connections. In this paper, we describe an approach used by many clicker trainers, referred to as loopy training. Loopy training is a teaching process built around the concept of movement cycles. Interactions between the animal learner and the handler are refined into predictable, cyclical patterns that can be expanded into complex sequences. These sequences include cues, target responses, conditioned reinforcers, and consummatory responses. We link the foundations of loopy training to existing work in the experimental analysis of behavior, compare loopy training to other shaping approaches, and describe areas for future research. We conclude with a series of recommendations for further developing connections between behavior analysts and animal trainers, using loopy training as the foundation for our suggestions.

Think Tanks on Cultural Studies: Tribute to João Claudio Todorov

This essay is dedicated to João Claudio Todorov (1941-2021). It focuses on the history of the Think Tanks on cultural studies from a culturo-behavioral science perspective. Todorov first conceived the idea of creating a Think Tank on Cultural Studies (TTCS). He organized the first one with Maria Malott in 2005 in Campinas, São Paulo. Occurring simultaneously with the XIV Brazilian Meeting of Psychology and Behavioral Medicine, there was a significant number of research presentations focused on cultural selection. The think tank focused on the concept of metacontingency, and its implications for research. The event counted on the presence of former editors of the Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior. Think Tank 1 (TTCS1) inspired the organization of six additional think tanks, where Todorov always played a key role.  Moreover, Todorov promoted the coordination with researchers from different higher education institutions, resulting in presentations at national and international scientific conferences, and joint publications. The most recent think tank, (TTCS7) took place in 2021 online due to the limitations from the Covid-19 pandemic, when Professor João Claudio Todorov attended for the last time.Keywords: Think Tank on Cultural Studies, Metacontingency, Macrocontingency, João Claudio Todorov. 

A method for studying reinforcement factors controlling impulsive choice for use in behavioral neuroscience.

Although procedures originating within the experimental analysis of behavior commonly are used in behavioral neuroscience to produce behavioral endpoints, they are used less often to analyze the behavioral processes involved, particularly at the level of individual organisms (see Soto, 2020). Concurrent-chains procedures have been used extensively to study choice and to quantify relations between various dimensions of reinforcement and preference. Unfortunately, parametric analysis of those relations using traditional steady-state, single-subject experimental designs can be time-consuming, often rendering these procedures impractical for use in behavioral neuroscience. The purpose of this paper is to describe how concurrent-chains procedures can be adapted to allow for parametric examination of effects of the reinforcement dimensions involved in impulsive choice (magnitude and delay) within experimental sessions in rats. Data are presented indicating that this procedure can produce relatively consistent within-session estimates of sensitivity to reinforcement in individual subjects, and that these estimates can be modified by neurobiological manipulation (drug administration). These data suggest that this type of procedure offers a promising approach to the study of neurobiological mechanisms of complex behavior in individual organisms, which could facilitate a more fruitful relationship between behavior analysis and behavioral neuroscience.