Evaluation of Lag Schedules and Rules on Persistent Response Variability With Preschoolers in a Group
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Evaluation of Lag Schedules and Rules on Persistent Response Variability With Preschoolers in a Group Katie M. Wiskow 1 & Jasmine Torrecillas 1,2 & Haide Rocha 3,4 & Allison DaSilva 3,4 # Association for Behavior Analysis International 2020
Abstract In the present study, experimenters evaluated the influence of lag schedules of reinforcement in combination with accurate and inaccurate (complete and incomplete) rules on the response variability of naming category items for typically developing preschoolers in a group format. Results showed that when lag schedules were introduced with 2 categories, response variability generalized to the third category. Furthermore, after participants experienced the lag schedule, variability persisted when the contingency no longer required variability. Participants continued to vary their responses unless the rule and contingency required them to repeat responses. We discuss potential clinical applications of using lag schedules in a group format and including rules during teaching, as well as directions for future research in this area. Keywords Categories . Group instruction . Intraverbals . Rules . Variability
Learning to vary responses may provide individuals with multiple ways to access reinforcers in their environment and assist with creativity and problem-solving skills. One method to increase response variability is the use of lag schedules of reinforcement. In a lag schedule, a response is reinforced if it is different from x number of previous responses (Neuringer, 2002). For example, in a Lag 1 schedule, a response is reinforced only if it varies from the previous response. There are many situations in daily life that might require a person to vary his or her response to access reinforcement. If someone asks, “What do you want to drink?” and the person replies, “Lemonade,” the first person might respond, “I do not have lemonade; what else do you * Katie M. Wiskow [email protected]
1
Department of Psychology and Child Development, College of Science, One University Circle, California State University, Stanislaus, Turlock, CA 95382, USA
2
Present address: Fresno Unified School District, Fresno, CA, USA
3
California State University, Stanislaus, CA, USA
4
Present address: Kadiant, Modesto, CA, USA
The Analysis of Verbal Behavior
want?” The second person will then need to ask for a different drink. Similarly, someone may ask, “What do you like to do for fun?” the person responds, “I like to play soccer,” and the first person responds, “I do not play soccer; what else do you like to do?” The second person will then need to state another conversation topic. Experimenters have used lag schedules to increase the variability of socially meaningful behaviors, such as conversation topics (Lepper, Devine, & Petursdottir, 2017), answering social questions (e.g., Lee, McComas, & Jawor, 2002; Susa & Schlinger, 2012), mands (e.g., Silbaugh & Falcomata, 2019), and food consumption (Silbaugh & Falcomata, 2017). Experimenters have also used lag schedules to increase varied a
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