OPERANT CONDITIONING OF A SEMANTICALLY IDENTIFIED WORD CLASS
Abstract
This study tested the expectation that a class of words each eliciting the same meaning component (while varying on other components) could be operantly conditioned. Forty words of positive evaluative meaning, identified as such by ratings obtained with semantic differential scale, were each presented on a card with 3 different words of neutral or unsystematic meaning to 20 individually run Ss. E reinforced 10 Experimental Group Ss for each positive evaluative word response by saying GOOD; no reinforcement was given the positive word responses of the 10 Control Group Ss. A statistical analysis of each S's set of scores indicated that the Experimental Group increased significantly in the frequency of positive words emitted relative to those emitted by the Control Group as a function of the reinforcement. The results thus corroborated the experimental hypothesis. It is suggested that other demonstrations of of the operant conditioning of word classes may involve the elicitation of a common meaning response by the individual word responses. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 1961
- Accession Number
- AD0253500
Entities
People
- Arthur W. Staats
- Carolyn K. Staats
- Judson R. Finley
Organizations
- Arizona State University