Words Functioning Simultaneously as Operant and Respondent Reinforcers: Preliminary Study

Abstract

A new group, verbal-conditioning device, together with a rating sheet, was used in an identical- Ss design with 40 undergraduate Ss to demonstrate the simultaneous operation of words as operant reinforcers and UCSs. The conditioning device allowed the presentation of words having either positive or negative evaluative meaning to be contingent upon whether a motor response was made to one or to another CVC, respectively. The rating sheet was used subsequently to determine whether meaning had been conditioned to the CVCs. As predicted, the tendency to respond to CVCs followed by positive words was greater than that to CVCs followed by negative words; and CVCs preceding positive words were subsequently rated as more pleasant than those preceding negative words.