Abstract

MCLLVANE, William J. Stimulus control topography coherence theory: a brief introduction. Temas psicol. [online]. 1998, vol.6, n.3, pp. 185-189. ISSN 1413-389X.

Stimulus control topography coherence theory is an attempt to account for certain types of behavioral variability in both laboratory research and clinicai treatment outcomes in terms of well-established principies of behavior analysis. These include stimulus classes, discrimination, and reinforcement. One novel feature is the concept of the "stimulus control topography" (SCT), which refers to the discriminative stimuli's physical features, structure, and controlling properties. The SCT is directly analogous to response topography; variations in both often go unmeasured in behavioral experiments. To introduce essential features of coherence theory, I apply it to the problem of behavioral variability on tests for stimulus equivalence. I make the argument that apparent failures on tests for stimulus equivalence reflect unmeasured variations in SCT. I also contrast coherence theory with other theories that purport to account for stimulus equivalence, including relational frame theory

Keywords : stimulus control topography; stimulus equivalence.

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