Acta Comportamentalia

Activity-based anorexia: Evaluation of the effects of pre-exposure to the feeding restriction regimen

El estudio se diseñó con el propósito de evaluar los efectos de pre exposición y nivel de privación de alimento sobre el peso corporal y la actividad. Dos grupos de ratas fueron privados de alimento al 80% de su peso, para uno de los grupos se mantuvo el peso al 80% (Grupo 80%), mientras que para el otro se inició una recuperación del peso hasta llegar nuevamente al 100% (Grupo 80-100%); un tercer grupo no tuvo esta fase de pre-exposición a la privación (Grupo 100%). Posteriormente, todos los sujetos se sometieron a un periodo de disponibilidad de alimento por una hora y el resto del día con libre acceso a una rueda de actividad en las cajas experimentales. Se encontró que los sujetos que recibieron pre-exposición al régimen de restricción de alimento tuvieron mayor actividad y menor pérdida de peso corporal. Los resultados se interpretan con base en la hipótesis del fallo adaptativo, sin embargo, interpretaciones alternativas hacen necesaria una mayor exploración sistemática.

The study was designed to evaluate the effects of a preexposure restriction of food on loose body-weight and activity in rats. Two groups of rats were deprived of food in a feeding schedule 1hr/day, one group was maintained at 80% of its body weight (Group 80%), whereas for the other the body-weight was recovered at 100% (Group 80-100%). Finally, a third group did not have this preexposure to the food restriction (Group 100%). During the experimental phase all rats were exposed to the experimental chambers with access to food during 1 h a day and 23 h with free access to an activity wheel. Groups with preexposure to food regime (Groups 80% and 80-100%) showed higher activity levels and less reduction in their body-weight. The results are explained according to the adaptation hypothesis; however, alternative explanations cannot be discarded.

A note on nose-poking behavior in rats

Grupos de ratas fueron expuestos a la entrega no contingente de agua bajo ciclos de 15 ó 30 s. Para ambos grupos la entrega del agua se señaló mediante un tono durante el 50% de cada ciclo. La proporción de tiempo de asomarse al dispensador durante el tono fue mayor bajo entregas de agua cada 15 s que bajo entregas de agua cada 30 s. Las razones de elevación calculadas en cada caso, sin embargo, no difirieron entre sí. Aunque el número de entregas de agua contactadas no difirió entre los grupos, la proporción de tiempo de asomarse al dispensador en presencia del agua fue mayor bajo entregas de agua cada 30 s que bajo entregas de agua cada 15 s. Estos resultados confirman el valor predictivo de la razón I/T y la viabilidad de la razón de elevación para analizar la ejecución bajo diferentes procedimientos Pavlovianos. Adicionalmente, los resultados apoyan la idea de que el análisis de los efectos del condicionamiento debería considerar los cambios en el responder a los estímulos incondicionales.

Groups of rats were exposed to non-contingent water delivery under 15 s or 30 s cycles. For both groups water deliveries were signaled by a tone during the 50% of each cycle. Relative nose-pocking time during the signal was higher for rats exposed to the 15 s cycle than for rats exposed to the 30 s cycle. Elevation ratios calculated for each group, however, did not differ between them. Although contacted water deliveries did not differ between groups, relative nose-pocking time in the presence of water was higher for rats exposed to the 30 s cycle than for rats exposed to the 15 s cycle. Results confirm the predictive value of the I/T ratio in classical conditioning and the useful of the elevation ratio for the analysis of performance under different Pavlovian procedures. Additionally, results support the idea that the analysis of conditioning should include changes in responding to the unconditional stimulus.

Effect of object pre-exposure on exclusion performance and name-object relation learning

Apesar de ser considerado um dos desempenhos emergentes mais robustos em toda Psicologia da Aprendizagem, o responder por exclusão parece sofrer a interferência de variáveis ainda pouco estudadas. O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar a influência da exposição prévia ao objeto novo sobre o desempenho de exclusão e a aprendizagem da relação nome-objeto após uma única tentativa de exclusão, em dez crianças com desenvolvimento típico (27 a 30 meses). Foram empregadas tarefas de discriminação condicional auditivo-visuais com o uso de brinquedos e máscara como alternativas de resposta. As sondas de exclusão foram realizadas em dois contextos experimentais distintos: com e sem a pré-exposição ao objeto indefinido utilizado nas sondas. A análise dos resultados evidenciou que a pré-exposição interferiu negativamente nos desempenhos de exclusão e aprendizagem, possivelmente por diminuir a dimensão da novidade do objeto e, consequentemente, favorecer a fusão de classes de estímulos definidos e indefinidos.

Despite being considered one of the most robust emergent performances across Psychology of Learning, responding by exclusion seems to be influenced by variables which have been insufficiently studied. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of object pre-exposure on the responding by exclusion and name-object learning after a single exclusion trial. Participants were ten typically developing children (27-30 months). Auditory-visual matching-to-sample tasks were conducted, using toys and a blank comparison (mask) as choice alternative. Exclusion probes were presented in two different experimental conditions: with and without pre-exposure of new object used in the probes. Data analysis indicated that object pre-exposure had a negative influence on both responding by exclusion and learning responses. The previous exposure of the object might decrease the novelty of such object and, therefore, it might increase the possibility of fusion between defined and undefined stimuli classes.

Relationships derived from relationships: Competition between arbitrary relationships and physical similarity

El estudio de las relaciones de similitud física (RSF) y las relaciones arbitrarias resulta de interés ya que permite evaluar la capacidad de formación y discriminación de nuevas relaciones entre estímulos cuando está disponible un criterio de respuesta potencialmente más arraigado, como el de similitud física. El propósito del presente estudio fue investigar los efectos de la competencia de respuesta entre las relaciones derivadas de relaciones (RDR) y las RSF. Se consideraron como indicadores de respuesta el número de respuestas por las RDR y los tiempos de respuesta. Participaron del estudio 158 sujetos adultos. Los resultados demostraron que, cuando los participantes formaron RDR consistentemente, la presencia de competencia no generó dificultad para seleccionar respuestas por RDR. Los participantes que respondieron inconsistentemente a las RDR, sí presentaron efectos de competencia en ambos indicadores de respuesta. Se pone de manifiesto la conveniencia de utilizar los tiempos de respuesta además de la cantidad de respuestas por la RDR, como una medida más fina del control de estímulos y de estudiar tanto el desempeño de los participantes que responden consistentemente a todas las relaciones derivadas como el de aquellos que sólo exhiben consistencia en el establecimiento de clases de equivalencia de estímulos. Debe atenderse tanto a las relaciones que son estrictamente arbitrarias, como también a las RSF en tanto se sabe que la tendencia a considerar estas relaciones estaría también en la base del formación del razonamiento analógico.

The study of physical similarity relationships (PSR) and arbitrary relationships is of interest because it allows the assessment of the ability to form and discriminate new relationships between stimuli when another response criterion more established is potentially available, like that of physical similarity. The importance of this type of relational responding is that this behavior is similar to that of analogical reasoning and its study has the advantage of allowing systematic control of familiarity and stimulus learning. The relationships derived from relationships (RDR) imply the ability to establish relationships based not on the stimulus, but on the relations established between combinations of stimuli. In this sense, it is necessary to address both the relationships that are strictly arbitrary as well as PSR, as it is known that the tendency to consider these relationships would also be the basis for the formation of analogical reasoning. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of response competition between the RDR and the PSR. The number of responses by the RDR and response times were considered as indicators of response. The study included 158 adult subjects. The results showed that when participants formed RDR consistently, the presence of competition did not cause difficulties in selecting responses by RDR. By contrast, participants who responded inconsistently to the RDR did show effects of competition in both indicators of response. The advantage of using the response times in addition to the number of responses by the RDR is shown as a finer measure of stimulus control. In turn, a special emphasis is made on the importance of studying both the performance of the participants who responded consistently to all derived relations as well as those that only exhibit consistency in establishing stimulus equivalence classes

Analysis of variables that may interfere with discrepant rule following behavior

Com o objetivo de investigar o controle por regras, 10 universitários foram expostos a um procedimento de escolha de acordo com o modelo; a tarefa era apontar três estímulos de comparação em uma sequência correta. Na Sessão 1 nenhuma sequência era reforçada ou instruída. As contingências da Sessão 2 eram alteradas na Sessão 3, e as contingências da Sessão 3 eram mantidas inalteradas na Sessão 4, iniciada com a regra discrepante. Os participantes eram solicitados a descrever as contingências durante as sessões e foram distribuídos em dois grupos, que diferiam porque a sequência correta na Sessão 2 era estabelecida por reforço diferencial no Grupo RD e por regra no Grupo IN. Os participantes que responderam corretamente na Sessão 3 tenderam a deixar de seguir a regra discrepante na Sessão 4; e os que responderam incorretamente na Sessão 3 tenderam a seguir a regra discrepante na Sessão 4. Um participante, na Sessão 2, formulou uma autorregra antes de o comportamento por ela especificado ter sido estabelecido por suas consequências imediatas. Neste caso, o comportamento especificado pela autorregra permaneceu inalterado nas primeiras tentativas da Sessão 3. Discutem-se os efeitos de perguntas, regras, autorregras, consequências e histórias do ouvinte sobre o comportamento.

Aiming to investigate the control of behavior by rules, 10 college students were exposed to a matching to sample procedure with the task of pointing to each of three comparison stimulus in sequence. Each comparison stimulus shared one dimension with the sample: Color (C), Thickness (E) or Form (F).The participants were distributed in two groups. For both groups, in Session 1 no sequence was reinforced or instructed (baseline). During sessions 2, 3, and 4, the correct sequence was reinforced with points exchangeable for money. In Session 2 the sequence programmed as correct was sequence CEF. Initially the correct sequence was reinforced in a continuous reinforcement schedule (CRF), then in fixed ratio 2. The transition from Session 2 to 3 was characterized by the non signalized change in the programmed reinforcement contingencies for the sequences emitted. During Session 3, therefore, there were no instructions and only the sequence EFC was reinforced in CRF. The transition from Session 3 to 4 was characterized by the introduction - in the beginning of Session 4- of a discrepant rule specifying that emitting the sequence FCE the participant would earn points. During Session 4 the sequence EFC was the only one reinforced, in CRF. During Sessions 2, 3, 4, after every third trial the experimenter handled the participant a paper with the following question: "Answer in writing the following question: What is the sequence you have to point to the comparison objects in order to get points?". The answers to the questions were never differentially reinforced by the experimenter. The two groups differed only concerning to the establishment of the correct sequence in Session 2. For the Group RD the correct sequence was established by differential reinforcement and for Group IN by rule. The participants who responded correctly in Session 3 presenting performance sensible to the contingencies were prone to stop following the discrepant rule in Session 4; those who responded incorrectly in Session 3, presenting performance not sensible to the change in contingencies, were prone to follow the discrepant rule in Session 4. One participant from Group RD formulated an auto-rule in Session 2 before the specified behavior had been established by its immediate contingencies. In this case, the behavior specified in the autorule was kept unaltered, e.g., insensible to the contingency change in Session 3 first trials. Considering the results of this study and other similar studies it is suggested that the effects of questions indicating that rules and contingencies are discrepant depend on the joint effect of other variables. The history of the behavior alternative to that specified by the rule should be taken in consideration as affecting the behavior selected by rules and by contingencies. Finally, it is suggested that auto rules may control behavior.

Psychoeconomic analysis of attention to the task of schoolchildren and teacher attention

Dans le cadre de la picoéconomie, la contrainte exercée par un programme de renforcement est considérée comme le prix nécessaire à l'obtention d'un bien (Ainslie, 1992). L'allocation des réponses d'un sujet respecte alors la loi de la demande (Green et Kagel, 1987). La présente étude vise à illustrer l'intégration de la picoéconomie dans un contexte scolaire de salle de classe. Elle porte sur une analyse descriptive des relations entre le taux d'attention de trois écoliers d'une école primaire et différentes formes d'attention qu'ils obtiennent de leur enseignant. Ces relations sont analysées suivant trois programmes de renforcement, soit un programme à proportion variable, un programme à intervalle variable et un programme concurrent. L'étude vise à établir le type de contingences qui prédit le mieux le taux d'attention des écoliers en fonction d'une perspective moléculaire (séquences comportement-conséquence de 5 minutes), locale (séquences de 10 minutes) ou molaire (moyenne quotidienne). Les résultats de cette étude de cas suggèrent qu'une analyse moléculaire permet une meilleure prédiction des comportements des enfants. En revanche, la loi de l'appariement est le meilleur prédicteur du taux d'attention des écoliers autant sur le plan moléculaire que molaire. Ces résultats sont abordés selon le modèle picoéconomique d'Ainslie (1992). Enfin, il est relevé que l'analyse quantitative des relations entre comportement et conséquence en termes de programme de renforcement telle que réalisée dans la présente étude est totalement négligée par les auteurs qui s'intéressent à l'analyse descriptive et fonctionnelle du comportement.

Picoeconomic (Ainslie, 1992) and the molar maximisation theory (Kagel, Battalio et Green, 1995) have risen from the integration of microeconomics within the experimental analysis of behavior. In both models, the relationship between a subject's responses and obtained reinforcers are said to respect the law of demand. The current study illustrates the integration of picoeconomic in the classroom by focusing on descriptive analyses of the relationship between the attention to the task rate of three students and different forms of interactions they received from their teachers. The purpose of the current study is to analyze these relationships according to three schedules of reinforcement that are the variable-ratio schedule, the variable-interval schedule and the concurrent schedule. Each schedule is also analyzed according to a molecular, local or molar perspective. Results indicate that at the molecular level, the generalized matching law is the best descriptor of children's behavior according to their teacher attention. The variable-interval schedule and the variable-ratio schedule were also statistically significant for one student each. At the molar level, the results show that attention rate is primarily a function of the relative rates of attention from the teacher. To conclude, relationships between subjects' behaviors and the associated reinforcers from their teachers were well pictured by economic concepts, and that the classical notion of program of reinforcement is neglected by authors interesting by descriptive and functional analysis of behavior.

Violence against women: an empirical research about descriptive rules common in Western society

Este trabalho objetivou verificar a concordância dos participantes com regras descritivas comuns na sociedade ocidental que se relacionam à violência contra a mulher a partir de questionários aplicados a 252 estudantes universitários e indivíduos não universitários de ambos os sexos. O questionário (ad hoc) continha 25 diferentes sentenças afirmativas contendo regras descritivas sobre violência contra a mulher, comuns na comunidade verbal ocidental. O mesmo deveria ser respondido em uma escala (discordo totalmente, concordo em parte e concordo totalmente). Além disso, o participante deveria indicar se conhecia alguém que concordava com a afirmativa e, caso quisesse, poderia fazer algum comentário. Para a análise dos dados foram utilizados os testes t de Student e r de Pearson. Verificou-se que os homens não universitários apresentaram maior concordância com as afirmativas apresentadas. A variável escolaridade foi estatisticamente significante para 20 afirmativas, enquanto a variável gênero foi estatisticamente significante para 17 das 25 afirmativas do questionário. Foi encontrada correlação negativa entre o nível de escolaridade e a concordância com as afirmativas do questionário. A maioria dos participantes ainda afirmou conhecer alguém que concordava com as afirmativas propostas. Os dados sugerem que o nível de escolaridade é preponderante em relação ao gênero quanto à concordância com as regras que de algum modo se relacionam à manutenção da violência contra a mulher.

The study's aim was to investigate the participants' agreement with descriptive rules common in Western society that relate to violence against women from questionnaires administered to 252 college students and non-university individuals of both sexes. The questionnaire (ad hoc) contained 25 statements that should be answered on a scale, as well as if the participant knew or not knew someone who agreed with what was described in each of them, with the possibility of the participant to make a comment (not mandatory) in each affirmative. To analyze the data was used the t Student and r Pearson. It was found that non-university men had higher agreement with statements related to the rules that legitimize the patriarchal family model, female culpability for aggression and jealous emotional behavior relationship between and violence. The education variable was statistically significant for 20 affirmative, while the gender variable was significant statistically for 17 of the 25 statements in the questionnaire. It was also observed that there was a negative correlation between education level and agreement or disagreement with the statements of the questionnaires. It was also observed that there was a negative correlation between education level and agreement or disagreement with the statements of the questionnaires. Furthermore, in general, most participants said they knew someone who agrees with affirmative proposals. The data suggest that the level of education is predominant in relation to gender regarding the agreement or not with the rules that somehow relate to the maintenance of violence against the women.

In which sense(s) is radical the Radical Behaviorism?

O uso do adjetivo radical para identificar a variedade de behaviorismo proposta por Skinner é corrente nos dias atuais. Entretanto, historicamente, esse qualificador não foi exclusivamente aplicado à proposta skinneriana e seu caráter polissêmico tende a gerar incorreções na interpretação do que caracteriza o Behaviorismo Radical de Skinner. Este artigo pretende esclarecer o sentido mais apropriado de radical quando aplicado ao behaviorismo de Skinner por meio de quatro atividades articuladas: (1) a recuperação das origens etimológicas da palavra radical e seus diferentes significados em Língua Portuguesa, Língua Espanhola e Língua Inglesa; (2) uma reconstrução e análise evolutiva de um cenário histórico que culminou no uso do termo no contexto behaviorista; (3) uma análise das principais acepções de radical quando associadas ao behaviorismo; (4) um exame dos sentidos em que é coerente a adoção do termo radical associado ao behaviorismo e das implicações correntes e futuras para o Behaviorismo Radical e a Análise do Comportamento no contexto científico.

The use of the adjective radical to identify the variety of behaviorism proposed by Skinner is current nowadays. However, historically, this qualifier was not exclusively applied to Skinner's proposal and its polysemy tends to generate inaccuracies in the interpretation of what characterizes Skinner's Radical Behaviorism. This article aims to clarify the most appropriate sense of radical when applied to Skinner's behaviorism by means of four articulated activities: (1) the description of the etymological origins of the word radical and its different meanings in Portuguese, Spanish and English, (2) a reconstruction and analysis of the evolution of a historical setting that culminated in the use of the term in the behaviorist context, (3) an analysis of the main meanings of radical when associated with behaviorism, (4) an examination of some ways in which the use of the term associated with behaviorism is consistent, and the current and future implications for Radical Behaviorism and Behavior Analysis in a scientific context.