On the role of sorting

Abstract

Article 1: The present article presents different definitions of the terms categorization and concepts in regards of the cognitive psychology and behavior analysis. Prospective future research on sorting and equivalence class formation with different types of variables, which can have effects on sorting results, is presented. Article 2: Tests for derived relations when studying stimulus equivalence are time consuming and require much effort from participants. The test is also an easy measure for the experimenter in that methods for measuring the sorting results are developed for the use of computers in contrast to what has previously been done with paper-and-pencil or laminated cards. The present study examined in which degree a sorting test could serve as an additional measure on equivalence class formation. Participants were exposed to conditional discrimination procedures using a LS (linear series) training structure to train potentially three 5-member classes. Participants were tested for symmetry, transitivity, and equivalence in a MTS (matching-to-sample) test after training. Participants were presented with two phases;. Phase 1 was mandatory for all participants and then they were allocated to Phase 2 dependent on the results from Phase 1. The sorting tests were used as a pretest and a posttest during Phase 1 and as a pretest, posttest (after training) and post-posttest (after MTS-test) in Condition 1, Phase 2. Results showed that participants who responded in accordance with stimulus equivalence also sorted the stimuli in experimenter-defined classes. Participants who did not respond in accordance with stimulus equivalence did not sort the stimuli in experimenter-defined classes. Also, participants who had low scores on the MTS-test also had less experimenter-defined classes in the sorting tests