Date of Award
4-1984
Degree Name
Master of Arts
Department
Psychology
First Advisor
Dr. Jack L. Michael
Second Advisor
Dr. M. Kay Malott
Third Advisor
Dr. Neil D. Kent
Access Setting
Masters Thesis-Open Access
Abstract
Feature-value effect concerns the asymmetry obtained in the discrimination learning of pigeons and young children, based on the presence (feature-positive) versus the absence (feature-negative) of a single distinctive feature. Subjects master the discrimination problem when the distinctive feature appears on the positively-reinforced (S+) display but not necessarily when the distinctive feature appears on the non-reinforced (S-) display. This thesis replicates and examines the first (three) extensions of traditionally experimental research to human preschool populations. Six 3-5 year old children attending the Child Development Center preschool served as subjects in the experiment. The feature-positive discrimination training conditions consisted of the presentation of tokens versus explicit (yes-no) verbal feedback. All subjects achieved mastery criterion in the second'phase of the experimental conditions. The feature-negative discrimination training conditions consisted of the presentation of tokens plus explicit (yesno) verbal feedback versus a rule statement condition. Half of the subjects achieved mastery criterion in the second phase of the experimental conditions.
Recommended Citation
Zerbel, Nedra N., "Feature-Value Effect" (1984). Masters Theses. 1572.
https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/masters_theses/1572