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Superordinate Categorization Via Learned Stimulus Equivalence: Quantity of Reinforcement, Hedonic Value, and the Nature of the Mediator
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Superordinate Categorization Via Learned Stimulus Equivalence: Quantity of Reinforcement, Hedonic Value, and the Nature of the Mediator

Suzette L Astley, Jessie J Peissig and Edward A Wasserman
Journal of experimental psychology. Animal behavior processes, Vol.27(3), pp.252-268
07/2001
DOI: 10.1037/0097-7403.27.3.252
PMID: 11497324

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Abstract

Three experiments examined superordinate categorization via stimulus equivalence training in pigeons. Experiment 1 established superordinate categories by association with a common number of food pellet reinforcers, plus it established generalization to novel photographic stimuli. Experiment 2 documented generalization of choice responding from stimuli signaling different numbers of food pellets to stimuli signaling different delays to food reinforcement. Experiment 3 indicated that different numbers of food pellets did not substitute as discriminative stimuli for the photographic stimuli with which the food pellets had been paired. The collective results suggest that the effective mediator of superordinate categories that are established via learned stimulus equivalence is not likely to be an accurate representation of the reinforcer, neither is it likely to be a distinctive response that is made to the discriminative stimulus. Motivational or emotional mediation is a more likely account.

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