The effects of behavioral history on contingency-discrepant rule-following behavior

Authors

  • Laercio de Sousa Silva
  • Luiz Carlos de Albuquerque Universidade Federal do Pará

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5380/psi.v11i1.4589

Keywords:

rules and contingencies, behavioral history, insensibility to programmed contingencies

Abstract

With the purpose of investigating the role of variables that may interfere with rule-following, 10 university students were exposed to a matching-to-sample procedure, where they had to point, in sequence, to three comparison stimuli. In the two experimental conditions, neither response was reinforced in Session 1 (baseline). The contingencies in Session 2 were changed in Session 3, and the contingencies in Session 3 remained unchanged in Session 4, which began with a rule that was discrepant to the programmed contingencies. The two conditions differed only in Session 2. In Session 2, the sequence was established by contingencies in Condition RD and by rule in Condition IN. In Condition RD, four of the five participants gave correct responses in accordance with the contingencies in Session 3 and abandoned discrepant rule following in Session 4. In Condition IN, four of the five participants gave incorrect responses in Session 3 and followed the discrepant rule in Session 4. These results suggest that the maintenance of discrepant rule following may depend on the control of behaviors different from those specified by rules in the participant’s previous behavioral history. The potential contribution of other variables is also discussed.

Keywords: rules and contingencies; behavioral history; insensibility to programmed contingencies.

 

Author Biographies

Laercio de Sousa Silva

Psicólogo, Mestre em Psicologia Experimental pelo Programa de Pós-Graduação em Teoria e Pesquisa do Comportamento da UFPA.

Luiz Carlos de Albuquerque, Universidade Federal do Pará

Professor do Departamento de Psicologia Experimental da Universidade Federal do Pará e do Programa de Pós-Graduação em Teoria e Pesquisa do Comportamento da Mesma Instituição.

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Published

2007-11-30

How to Cite

Silva, L. de S., & de Albuquerque, L. C. (2007). The effects of behavioral history on contingency-discrepant rule-following behavior. Interação Em Psicologia, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.5380/psi.v11i1.4589

Issue

Vol. 11 No. 1 (2007)

Section

Articles

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