THE ACQUISITION OF RESPONSE CHAINS:
A COMPARISON BETWEEN TWO PROCEDURES
Abstract
This study was performed in order to verify the effects
produced by backward (T) and forward (F) procedures on the acquisition
of response chains. Thirty eight university students served as subjects.
They were divided into two equal experimental groups: Group Tbackward
chain first, and Group F-forward chain first. Each subject was
required to learn eight six-link chains, four with each procedure.
Backward and forward procedures were alternated. The order of the
chains to be learned was the same for all subjects. The number of errors
made by each subject in the two experimental conditions are presented,
as well as mean error scores for each chain in each condition. The forward procedure was demonstrated to be superior to the backward
procedure in the acquisition of the response chains. The results
obtained are discussed with respect to: (a) the direct reinforcement of
each response in the chain; (b) the subjects past history with forward
procedure; and (c) the repetition of each learned response before
acquiring the complete chains. The authors emphasize that the
prescription of behavior modification techniques should not be made
before knowing the subject's past history and his/her repertoire.
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