Stimulus class formation following observational learning

Abstract

A stimulus-equivalence paradigm was used to establish match-to-sample relations between members of two separate stimulus classes through a procedure involving direct training and observational learning. Four retarded adult males were taught to conditionally match arbitrary visual stimuli. Each subject was taught one sample- comparison relation within each class (e.g., B1A1, B2A2) and given an opportunity to observe another subject perform a second sample-comparison relation within each class (e.g., C1A1, C2A2); each observed relation had one stimulus in common with a sample-comparison relation acquired through direct training (A1, A2). When subjects acquired the trained and observed relations, they were tested on the sample-comparison relations that were never taught directly (AB, AC, CB, BC). Initial testing on the BC and CB relations revealed chance performance for two subjects. Subsequent testing on the AB and AC relations, however, resulted in immediate acquisition of the CB and BC derived relations. Results indicated that stimulus-equivalence teaching procedures used in academic group settings have promising educational implications for producing learning through observation of others.