Daniel B. Shabani, James E. Carr, & Anna Ingeborg Petursdottir. (2009).
A laboratory model for studying response-class hierarchies.
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis,
42, 105-121.
If the members of a functional response class occur in a predictable
order, a response-class hierarchy is said to exist. Although this topic
has received some attention in the applied literature, it remains relatively
understudied. The purpose of the current investigation was to develop an
analogue model of a response-class hierarchy. Children with and without
developmental disabilities were first taught three responses in an attempt
to develop a functional response class ordered along the dimension of
response effort (Experiment 1). Following response-class development,
an extinction analysis was used to determine whether the responses were
hierarchically related (Experiment 2). Results of Experiment 1 indicated
that a functional response class was developed, and that there was a relation
between response rate and effort for the established response class. Results
of Experiment 2 indicated that a response-class hierarchy existed within the
previously developed response classes for 3 of 4 participants.
DESCRIPTORS: problem behavior, response covariation, response-class hierarchy