Comparing Equivalence-Based Instruction to a PowerPoint Video Lecture to Teach Differential Reinforcement Descriptors to College Students

Differential reinforcement (DR) procedures involve systematically arranging the environment to increase the future frequency of socially important behaviors while minimizing or eliminating problem behaviors. The purpose of the present study was to compare the effects of computerized stimulus equivalence-based instruction (EBI) to a pre-recorded voiceover PowerPoint lecture to teach definitions and examples of differential reinforcement procedures to college students. The three classes comprised textual stimuli characterizing differential reinforcement of other (DRO), alternative (DRA), and incompatible (DRI) behavior. Each class contained three members: name, definition, and short vignette examples. To program for generalization, two vignette exemplars were used during training while a third exemplar was used to assess stimulus generalization. We used a between-subjects group design to compare pretest and posttest performances of EBI and lecture participants across (a) computer match-to-sample (MTS), (b) card sorting, and (c) written tests (fill-in and multiple-choice), with the latter two used to determine the degree to which class-consistent responding generalized from selection-based responding to other response topographies (i.e., sorting and writing). Results demonstrated that EBI produced greater score increases than lecture for MTS and card sorting tests, but increases were comparable for the two groups for both fill-in and multiple-choice written tests. Another posttest at 1 week showed maintenance of performance gains. Implications for using EBI to teach behavior analytic content are discussed.