Date of Award

4-1987

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Dr. Jack L. Michael

Second Advisor

Dr. Howard E. Farris

Third Advisor

Dr. Paul Mountjoy

Access Setting

Masters Thesis-Open Access

Abstract

Visual-tactual equivalence was examined within the stimulus equivalence paradigm originally developed by Sidman in studies of verbal behavior (1971). Experiment I assessed for equivalence between tactually and visually presented objects. In Experiment II, colors and textures were added to the objects and the effect of modality distinctive stimuli on equivalence was examined. Experiment III then studied the establishment of equivalence with these modality distinctive stimuli using the Sidman stimulus equivalence paradigm.

Visual-tactual equivalence was demonstrated in Experiment I. Experiment II demonstrated that equivalence could be disrupted by modality distinctive stimuli. Experiment III then showed that equivalence could be demonstrated between distinctive visual and tactual stimuli when training was accomplished in accordance with the stimulus equivalence paradigm. This study accomplished an expansion of the equivalence paradigm to an area other than verbal behavior and provided evidence of a method by which tactual visual equivalence may be established.

Share

COinS