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Teaching Equivalence Relations to Individuals with Minimal Verbal Repertoires: Are Visual and Auditory-Visual Discriminations Predictive of Stimulus Equivalence?

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Abstract

The relationship between language, performance on the Assessment of Basic Learning Abilities (ABLA) test, and stimulus equivalence was examined. Five participants with minimal verbal repertoires were studied; 3 who passed up to ABLA Level 4, a visual quasi-identity discrimination and 2 who passed ABLA Level 6, an auditory-visual non identity discrimination. Only the latter 2 participants demonstrated positive equivalence test outcomes similar to previous studies (Brady … McLean, 2000; Carr, Wilkinson, Blackman, … Mcllvane, 2000). The results suggest that well-developed language skills are not necessary to demonstrate positive outcomes on equivalence tests among three 3-member stimulus classes, and that visual and auditory discriminations as measured by the ABLA test may be prerequisite for the learning of equivalence relations.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Child and Youth Studies, Brock University, 455 South Block, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada, L25-3A1

    Tricia Vause, Garry L. Martin, C. T. Yu, Carole Marion & Gina Sakko

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  1. Tricia Vause
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  2. Garry L. Martin
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  3. C. T. Yu
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  4. Carole Marion
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  5. Gina Sakko
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Correspondence to Tricia Vause.

Additional information

This research was supported by Grant MOP6353 from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, and grants from the St. Amant Foundation, St. Boniface General Hospital Research Centre, and the Faculty of Nursing, University of Manitoba. Grateful appreciation is expressed to the participants and direct-care staff at St. Amant Centre, and to Drs. Carl Stephens and Angela Cornick for their support throughout the study. We also acknowledge Deanna Betteridge, Rene Hiebert, Shayla Harapiak, and Todd Martin for their help with reliability assessments.

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Vause, T., Martin, G.L., Yu, C.T. et al. Teaching Equivalence Relations to Individuals with Minimal Verbal Repertoires: Are Visual and Auditory-Visual Discriminations Predictive of Stimulus Equivalence?. Psychol Rec 55, 197–218 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03395506

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