title: Controlling Relations in Stimulus Equivalence Classes of Preschool Children and Individuals with Down Syndrome.
abstract: We evaluated emergent stimulus-stimulus relations after two different training procedures. Participants were five typically developing preschool children and three individuals with Down Syndrome. Experiment 1 used two-comparison matching to sample (MTS) to establish AB and BC relations. Experiment 2 used two-comparison and blank-comparison MTS, each on 50% of training trials to establish AB and BC relations. In both experiments, tests for emergent relations (AC, CA) were conducted to assess equivalence class formation. In Experiment 2 subsequently, class expansion was assessed after CD training. All participants showed positive equivalence test outcomes. Seven showed class expansion. After class formation tests in both studies, probe tests were conducted forselectandrejectrelations in baseline relations. Initial results were somewhat variable, but became more consistent after class expansion.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de São Carlos ; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia sobre Comportamento, Cognição e Ensino.
authors.forename: Priscila C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Grisante
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de São Carlos ; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia sobre Comportamento, Cognição e Ensino.
authors.forename: Julio C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: de Rose
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia sobre Comportamento, Cognição e Ensino ; University of Massachusetts Medical School.
authors.forename: William J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: McIlvane
keywords: Down Syndrome; matching to sample; preschool children; select and reject relations