Sign-reference equivalence research methods in humans and animals

303

Abstract

Human language based on symbolization or sign-referent equivalence relations. The paper focuses on methods of studying the process of developing of sign-referent equivalence. Subject is trained in Matching-To-Sample task: for example, reinforcing of stimulus B if the sample was A, and stimulus D if the sample was C. Following test allows to reveal if new relations (for example, symmetry, if subject chooses stimulus A if the sample was B) appeared spontaneously. Human subjects usually pass this test successfully. This result may be explained by repeated demonstration of sign-referent symmetry during language learning and using. Our paper is dedicated to methods features which can be used to study sign-reference developing in human and animals. We discuss factors that leads to appearance of this crucial property of stimulus equivalence.

General Information

Keywords: stimulus equivalence, symmetry, concepts, matching-to-sample, sign, referent

Journal rubric: Evolutionary and Comparative Psychology

Article type: scientific article

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17759/exppsy.2019120408

Funding. This research was funded by RSF (Russian Science Foundation), grant number 19-18-00477.

For citation: Samuleeva M.V., Smirnova A.A., Zorina Z.A. Sign-reference equivalence research methods in humans and animals. Eksperimental'naâ psihologiâ = Experimental Psychology (Russia), 2019. Vol. 12, no. 4, pp. 91–105. DOI: 10.17759/exppsy.2019120408. (In Russ., аbstr. in Engl.)

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Information About the Authors

M. V. Samuleeva, PhD Student, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia, e-mail: samuleeva@gmail.com

Anna A. Smirnova, PhD in Biology, Senior Research Associate, Laboratory of Physiology and Genetics of Behavior, Department of Higher Nervous Activity, Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia, e-mail: annsmirn@mail.ru

Zoya A. Zorina, Doctor of Biology, Professor, Head of the Laboratory of Physiology and Genetics of Behavior, Department of Higher Nervous Activity, Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia, e-mail: zorina_z.a@mail.ru

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