The Differential Outcomes Effect Using Sensory Outcomes in a Many-to-One Matching-to-Sample Task

Consequências Diferenciais Sensoriais em uma Tarefa de Pareamento ao Modelo “Muitos para Um”

Abstract

The present study was designed to evaluate the use of sensory outcomes (visual vs. auditory) using a differential outcomes procedure to facilitate learning in a many-to-one matching-to-sample task. For one group of participants (differential outcomes) each correct stimulus-choice sequence was always followed by a different outcome; whereas for the rest of participants (non-differential outcomes) each correct sequence was followed by the same outcome. Participants trained with differential outcomes showed a faster acquisition and higher overall accuracy than participants trained with non-differential outcomes. The results provide a new extension the differential outcomes effect by using sensory outcomes and many-to-one matching to-sample task; applications of the differential outcomes procedure are discussed.

Keywords:
differential outcomes effect; conditional discrimination; learning; many-to-one; matching to sample