Date of Graduation

2018

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Type

MS

College

Eberly College of Arts and Sciences

Department

Psychology

Committee Chair

Claire C. St. Peter

Committee Co-Chair

Barry Edelstein

Committee Member

Kathryn M. Kestner

Abstract

Serial-response training involves the consecutive training of several alternative responses whereas single-response training involves the training of a single alternative response. Serialresponse training may mitigate resurgence of a target response when compared to teaching a single alternative response. However, previous evaluations did not control for the number of available response options across conditions. This study compared serial- and single-response training on resurgence of a target behavior when the number of response options was held constant. Serial-response training involved reinforcing each of four alternative responses sequentially. Single-response training involved reinforcing a single alternative response. Resurgence was tested by withholding all reinforcers and examining transient increases in response rates. No consistent differences across conditions occurred. Our results suggest that the number of available response options, and not serial-response training, was critical to outcomes.

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