REORGANIZATION OF EQUIVALENCE CLASSES: ANALYSIS OF THE NUMBER OF COMPARISON STIMULI

Abstract

The reorganization of equivalence classes is observed when the base line contingencies are changed, so that the relations between stimuli are rearranged to form new classes. Several features of the procedure can affect the reorganization of equivalence classes and it has been suggested that the number of comparison stimuli is one of those variables. The aim of this study was to evaluate this hypothesis. Fourteen undergraduates were distributed into two groups and submitted to a matching to sample procedure to form two classes with five stimuli (Group 1) and three classes with five stimuli (Group 2). After the formation of these classes, a conditional relation was reversed. Only one of the 14 participants did not responded in accordance to the contingencies reversed in the first reorganization test, demonstrating that there was no effect of the number of comparison stimuli on the performance of the participants. The results of this study corroborate those of others which showed that even when only one conditional relationship is reversed reorganization of equivalent classes are observed.Keywords: stimulus equivalence classes, reorganization, number of comparison stimuli.