Awareness, Verbal Conditioning and Meaning Conditioning

Abstract

Empirical relationships basic to two controversial hypotheses concerning the relationship of awareness to verbal operant conditioning and conditioning of meaning were studied. Experimental procedures integrated the two conditioning processes, systematically varied verbal reinforcements for Ss' verbal responses, measured awareness by questionnaire, and measured rated meaning of nonsense syllables, which had been associated with meaningful words. 15 Ss were assigned to each of six experimental groups in a 2 × 3 factorial design. The two independent variables involved variations in reinforcement of (a) word responses and (b) awareness statements. Results supported four hypotheses: (1) Conditioning of meaning and verbal operant conditioning can occur together. (2) Awareness statements are operantly conditionable. (3) Verbal reinforcements can be arranged to produce either covariation of awareness statements and verbal conditioning or lack of covariation. (4) Awareness statements during conditioning relate significantly to awareness measured by postconditioning questionnaire. Also, questionnaire awareness is unrelated to conditioning of meaning.