O'Donnell, J. and Saunders, K. J. (2003).
Equivalence relations in individuals with language limitations and mental retardation.
Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior,
80, 131-157.
The study of equivalence relations exhibited by individuals with mental retardation and language
limitations holds the promise of providing information of both theoretical and practical significance.
We reviewed the equivalence literature with this population, defined in terms of subjects having
moderate, severe, or profound mental retardation. The literature includes 55 such individuals, most
of whom showed positive outcomes on equivalence tests. The results to date suggest that naming
skills are not necessary for positive equivalence test outcomes. Thus far, however, relatively few subjects
with minimal language have been studied. Moreover, we suggest that the scientific contributions
of studies in this area would be enhanced with better documentation of language skills and other
subject characteristics. With recent advances in laboratory procedures for establishing the baseline
performances necessary for equivalence tests, this research area is poised for rapid growth.
Key words: stimulus equivalence, mental retardation, language limitations, relational learning, conditional
discrimination, humans