The Effects of Common and Uncommon Elements on the Emergence of Simple Discriminations Page: 2
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correlation between the presence of that stimulus and an existing response-reinforcer relation
(Catania, 2012, p. 128; Skinner, 1938 p.178-179). It is typically discussed in both basic and
applied behavior analytic literature that the correlation develops when a response is only
reinforced in the presence of the intended discriminative stimulus, and not in its absence
(Dinsmoor, 1995; Saunders and Williams, 1998). Whether this kind of a teaching arrangement is
implemented more systematically though explicit discrimination training procedures or occurs
more naturally as opportunities present themselves in the everyday environment, repeated
delivery of reinforcement contingent on a particular response in the presence of some stimulus
has proven reliable for establishing that stimulus as discriminative for that response (Catania,
2012; Cooper, Heron, and Heward, 2007, p. 395-396; Skinner, 1938, p. 177).
However, studies have demonstrated that a stimulus will function as discriminative for a
particular response via alternative teaching methods in which the response is never reinforced in
the presence of the intended discriminative stimulus (Bower and Kaufman, 1963; Colwill and
Rescorla, 1988; Estes, 1943; Estes, 1948; Morse and Skinner, 1958; Walker 1942). For example,
Morse and Skinner (1958) conducted an experiment to determine whether establishing separate
relations between stimulus-food and response-food would be sufficient for that stimulus to exert
some control over the response with which it shared a relation to food. This experiment was
conducted in three phases.
In Phase 1, a pigeon was placed in an operant chamber with a light that alternated
between red and green. Food was delivered on a variable interval (VI) * 1-minute schedule in the
presence of one colored light, independent of the pigeon's behavior. No response mechanism
* In Phase 1 of Morse and Skinner (1958) the schedule of food delivery was described as a variable interval 1-
minute schedule, indicating that food was delivered contingent on some behavior following a predetermined interval
of one minute. However, food was not delivered contingent on any behavior from the pigeon; therefore, the schedule
is more accurately described as a variable time 1-minute schedule of food delivery.2
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Niland, Haven Sierra. The Effects of Common and Uncommon Elements on the Emergence of Simple Discriminations, thesis, May 2019; Denton, Texas. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1505220/m1/8/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; .