Abstract
The present study examined generalization along a dimension based on a verbal concept of occupational status. The status dimension was scaled by students who placed occupation names into five status categories, Category 1 representing highest status and Category 5 the lowest status. In two experiments, key presses by students were occasionally reinforced when a slide showing an occupation name from Status Category 3 was present. For half the subjects, key presses were not reinforced during a name from Category 1; for the other half, presses were not reinforced during a name from Category 5. Occupation names from all status categories were later singly presented. In this generalization test, subjects typically divided the dimension into two parts, responding alike to all names within each part. The results suggest that generalization along a dimension in humans is mediated by a subject's verbal classifications of stimuli.
Keywords: stimulus generalization, conceptual dimensions, categorical generalization, occupational status, key press, university students
Full text
PDF
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- BUSS A. H. Stimulus generalization and aggressive verbal stimuli. J Exp Psychol. 1961 Jun;61:469–473. doi: 10.1037/h0040315. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Banks W. P., Flora J. Semantic and perceptual processes in symbolic comparisons. J Exp Psychol Hum Percept Perform. 1977 May;3(2):278–290. doi: 10.1037//0096-1523.3.2.278. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Baron A. Postdiscrimination gradients of human subjects on a tone continuum. J Exp Psychol. 1973 Dec;101(2):337–342. doi: 10.1037/h0035206. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Beale I. L., Winton A. S. Inhibitory stimulus control in concurrent schedules. J Exp Anal Behav. 1970 Sep;14(2):133–137. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1970.14-133. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Brotsky S. J. Classical conditioning of the galvanic skin response to verbal concepts. J Exp Psychol. 1968 Feb;76(2):244–253. doi: 10.1037/h0025371. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- FEATHER B. W. SEMANTIC GENERALIZATION OF CLASSICALLY CONDITIONED RESPONSES: A REVIEW. Psychol Bull. 1965 Jun;63:425–441. doi: 10.1037/h0022003. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- FLESHLER M., HOFFMAN H. S. A progression for generating variable-interval schedules. J Exp Anal Behav. 1962 Oct;5:529–530. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1962.5-529. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- GEER J. H., BUSS A. H. Supplementary report: generalization of a nonverbal response to aggressive verbal stimuli. J Exp Psychol. 1962 Apr;63:413–414. doi: 10.1037/h0046031. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- GUTTMAN N., KALISH H. I. Discriminability and stimulus generalization. J Exp Psychol. 1956 Jan;51(1):79–88. doi: 10.1037/h0046219. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- HANSON H. M. Effects of discrimination training on stimulus generalization. J Exp Psychol. 1959 Nov;58:321–334. doi: 10.1037/h0042606. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- LANG P. J., GEER J., HNATIOW M. Semantic generalization of conditioned autonomic responses. J Exp Psychol. 1963 Jun;65:552–558. doi: 10.1037/h0049131. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Landau J. S. Postdiscrimination generalization in human subjects of two different ages. J Exp Psychol. 1968 Apr;76(4):656–663. doi: 10.1037/h0025676. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Maltzman I. Orienting in classical conditioning and generalization of the galvanic skin response to words: an overview. J Exp Psychol Gen. 1977 Jun;106(2):111–119. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Nicholson J. N., Gray J. A. Behavioural contrast and peak shift in children. Br J Psychol. 1971 Aug;62(3):367–373. doi: 10.1111/j.2044-8295.1971.tb02047.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Nicholson J. N., Gray J. A. Peak shift, behavioural contrast and stimulus generalization as related to personality and development in children. Br J Psychol. 1972 Feb;63(1):47–62. doi: 10.1111/j.2044-8295.1972.tb02083.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Winton A. S., Beale I. L. Peak shift in concurrent schedules. J Exp Anal Behav. 1971 Jan;15(1):73–81. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1971.15-73. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]