Further Translational Evaluations of Efficacy and Preference for Isolated and Synthesized Contingency Procedures

Abstract

The current study was a replication and extension of previous research using a translational evaluation of the traditional isolated FA and SCA. Four participants experienced differential reinforcement for alternative behavior (DRA) based on FA and SCA results, and a concurrent-chains arrangement was used to evaluate preference for the DRA conditions. Results showed that the isolated FA only identified the trained function. Across participants, DRA resulted in similar decreases in the surrogate destructive behavior across synthesized and isolated conditions and increases in the alternative response. Preferences for synthesized and isolated conditions differed across participants.