Serna, R. W., & Pérez-González, L. A. (2003).
An analysis of generalized contextual control of conditional discriminations.
Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior,
79, 383-394.
This research asked whether performance engendered by contextual
control procedures would generalize to novel matching-to-sample
stimulus arrangements. Two studies were conducted with young
adult participants. In Study 1, participants first were trained
to perform the contextually controlled conditional
discrimination, X-AB, where the sample-comparison relations A1B1
and A2B2 were reinforced in the presence of contextual stimulus
X1, but the relations A1B2 and A2B1 were reinforced in the
presence of X2. Then, a new conditional discrimination, CD, was
established via an unreinforced-conditional-selection procedure.
Next, participants were tested for X-CD contextual control
performance. Participants selected the originally established CD
relations in the presence of X1, but the opposite relations in
the presence of X2. Next, an additional conditional relation, EF,
was established. Then, participants received trials consisting of
entirely novel contextual stimuli, Z1 and Z2, and EF samples and
comparisons. Selections were consistent with contextual control;
that is, participants selected the originally established EF
relations in the presence of one of the novel contextual Z
stimuli, but selected the opposite EF relations in the presence
of the other contextual Z stimulus. Study 2 systematically
replicated these results with naive participants and demonstrated
the necessity of first establishing a conditional discrimination
prior to tests for generalized contextual control. The findings
are discussed in terms of unreinforced conditional selection,
stimulus classes, and new ways in which contextual control
performances can emerge.
Key words: stimulus control, generalized contextual control,
unreinforced conditional selection, contextual stimuli,
five-term control, conditional discriminations, matching-to-sample,
human participants, perez, gonzalez