Serial and simultaneous feature positive discriminations in a human Skinner box

Abstract

In the present experiment participants were presented either a serial (F--->T+/T-) or a simultaneous (FT+/T-) feature positive discrimination using a Skinner box for humans. After the participants mastered the discrimination, the associative properties of F were examined using a transfer test and a counterconditioning manipulation. F affected responding to a transfer target less in the Serial than in the Simultaneous condition. However, counterconditioning of F did not affect initial discrimination performance in either condition. These results were discussed in the framework of occasion setting, elemental learning, configural learning, and a neural network model.