Acta Comportamentalia

The function of a stimulus as a reinforcer depends on concurrent stimulation

En la primera parte de este trabajo se describen algunos experimentos sobre el Beber Inducido por el Programa de Reforzamiento (BIP) con ratas. Los resultados de estos experimentos se pueden clasificar conforme a dos enfoques diferentes. Los datos del primer enfoque muestran que es posible controlar la respuesta que produce el agua con a diferentes programas de reforzamiento intermitente con agua, sugiriendo que la producción de agua es el verdadero reforzador en los experimentos sobre el BIP. Los datos del segundo enfoque muestran que el agua adquiere una función como reforzador durante las sesiones de BIP porque bajo privación de comida el consumo de agua sigue cercanamente el consumo de comida. Los resultados de estos experimentos sugieren que en lugar de ver al BIP como una tercera clase de conducta, el BIP se reduce a condicionamiento operante.

Some experiments on Schedule-induced Drinking (SID) in rats are described in the first part of this paper. The results from these experiments can be classified according to two different approaches. Data from the first approach show that the water-producing response can be controlled by different schedules of intermittent-water reinforcement, suggesting that water production is the genuine reinforcement in SID experiments. Data from the second approach show that water acquires a reinforcing function during SID sessions because under food deprivation, water intake tracks closely food intake. The results from these experiments suggest that instead of víewing SID as a third class of behavior, it reduces to operant conditioning. The second part of the paper argues that the transitory acquisition of a reinforcing function by a stimulus is considerably general to other conditioning situations, species and stimuli. Evidence from the literatures on motivation, behavioral economics, physiology and sensory reinforcement is presented to support the idea that the activity of organisms changes continuously as the stimuli in the environment also change their function continuously.

Behavior and behavior

El concepto de "Conducta" tiene dos significados en el ámbito de la psicología. El primero es el de acción que un individuo ejecuta. El segundo significado es el de relación que se establece entre elementos de una asociación. Si hablamos significando acción, coincidimos con el sentido ordinario de este término y conectamos también con el hablar científico y técnico que lo asume; tal es el caso del discurso de la psicología diferencial y de los discursos presentes en la psicología aplicada. Si hablamos significando relación, asumimos el sentido funcional del concepto. Es entonces cuando podemos construir una teoría psicológica coherente y aceptable en el contexto de las otras ciencias funcionales naturales.

The concept of "behavior" has two meanings in the psychological science. The first meaning is that of the action that an individual does. The second meaning is that of the relation which is established between the elements of an association. If we talk of behavior meaning action, there is a coincidence with the ordinary language and also with the scientific language that assumes it; this is what differential psychology and applied psychology usually do. If we talk of behavior meaning relation, we assume the functional meaning of this concept, making possible a coherent psychological theory in the context of other functional and natural sciences.

Relational frame theory (R.F.T.) and acceptance and commitment therapy (A.C.T.): emperor's tailors or knights of the holy Grail?

Théorie des Cadres Relationnels (Hayes, Barnes-Holmes et Roche, 2001) et Thérapie par l'Acceptation et l'Engagement (Hayes, Strosahl et Wilson, 1999) sont les deux versants d'une même proposition récente en matière d'analyse de la cognïtion et du langage humains : le premier analyse et explique les phénomènes concernés sur un plan théorique, fournissant un arrière-plan dans lequel le second vient plonger ses racines pour mieux développer des pratiques propres. Les auteurs insistent à la fois sur leur ancrage néo-béhavioriste, inspiré de Kantor et de Skinner, et sur leur capacité à appréhender des domaines jusqu'ici investis par les modèles cognitivistes : nous nous interrogeons sur la légitimité de certaines de leurs prétentions. Nous évoquons la parenté de leur insistance sur le rôle du contexte avec celle d'auteurs approchant la communication comme un processus. Nous relevons également l'attachement de Hayes et ses collaborateurs à certains principes forts de l'analyse des comportements. Nous soulignons enfin les promesses, mais aussi les dangers, des choix conceptuels des auteurs et concluons par deux métaphores complémentaires, annoncées par notre titre.

Relational Frame Theory (Hayes, Barnes-Holmes et Roche, 2001) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (Hayes, Strosahl et Wilson, 1999) are the two sides of a récent proposition about human language and cognïtion analysis: Relational Frame Theory analyses and explains the phenomena of interest on a theoretical ground, offering a framework to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, the clinical side, and thus affording it to better develop its practîcal implications. The authors insist both on their neobehaviorist roots, inspired as they are by Kantor and Skinner, and on their ability to cope with areas that were previously investigated mostly by cognitivists models: we question the legitimacy of some of their claims. We evoke their insistence on the rôle of context, a feature similar to others authors that consider communication as a process too. We also underline that Hayes and colleagues are nevertheless strong proponents of some main principles of behavior analysis. We conclude by mentioning the promises but aiso the dangers of the authors' conceptual choices, and use two metaphoric taies (Andersen's Emperor's New Suit and that of the famous Knights of the Holy Grail) to illustrate some of our gênerai conclusions.

Identity: the functions of self

L'articolo propone un'analisi funzionale dell'Identità, del concetto di sé, alla luce delle concettualizzazioni della relational frame theory. L'Identità è definita come la classe di risposte individuali funzionale alla percezione di sé come differente da altro e da altri (identità sincronica), e funzionale alla percezione della costanza percettiva di sé attraverso il tempo (identità diacronica). L'Identità è anche funzione dell'autonomia decisionale e di azione da vincoli esterni all'individuo. Si ipotizza una relazione funzionale derivata (combinatoria) tra identità sincronica e diacronica per cui trasformazioni dell'una si rifletterebbero anche nell'altra.

A functional analysis of the Identity and self awareness is conducted by means of the relational frame theory. The Self is defined as an equivalence class including percepting Self as dìfferent from the context (difference, sincronie identity) and including percepting Self as Constant along the time (sameness). We hypothesize a derived functional relation (combinatoria!) between difference and sameness: therefore transformations applied on the first are reflected on the other one.

A equivalência de estímulos como modelo do significado

O modelo de equivalência de estímulos definiu comportamentos simbólicos oferecendo critérios operacionais que permitiram simulações experimentais da aquisição e manipulação de símbolos. Este artigo descreve uma validação da equivalência como modelo do significado e trata de propriedades quantitativas de relações simbólicas simuladas experimentalmente. Resultados obtidos em trabalhos que utilizaram um instrumento de diferencial semântico na avaliação de estímulos equivalentes são fornecidos como evidências empíricas de que relações de equivalência podem conferir significado a estímulos inicialmente desprovidos desta função. O diferencial semântico também permitiu avaliar propriedades quantitativas de relações de equivalência a partir da mensuração do nível de transferência de significados ocorrido nas classes estabelecidas. Nos trabalhos descritos, o nível de transferência de significados pareceu variar sistematicamente de acordo com os parâmetros experimentais envolvidos. Variações na transferência de funções indicam variações no grau de relacionamento de estímulos equivalentes.

The stimulus equivalence paradigm defined symbolic behaviors providing operational criteria that allowed experimental shnulations of the acquisition and manipulation of symbols. This paper describes a validation of equivalence as a model of meaning and deals with quantitative properties of symbolic relations. Results obtained in experimental studies that used a semantic differential to evaluate equivalent stimuli are presented as empirical evidences that equivalence relations can establish meaning to meaningless stimuli. The semantic differential also allowed an evaluation of quantitative properties of equivalence relations through the measurement of the degree of meaning transfer through the established classes. In the works described, the degree of meaning transfer seemed to vary according to the experimental parameters involved. Variations in the transfer of functions indicate variations in the relatedness of equivalent stimuli.

Acta Comportamentalia 1992-2006: a bibliomethric analysis

Se realiza un análisis bibliométrico de las publicaciones en Acta Comportamentalia en el periodo 1992-2006. Se evalúan distintos indicadores y se examina el impacto de la revista en el campo del análisis de la conducta.

A bibliomethric analysis of papers published in Acta Comportamentalia from 1992 to 2006 is made. Different indicators are evaluated and the impact of the Journal ín the field of behavior analysis is examined.