EVALUATION OF A MULTIPLE-STIMULUS PRESENTATION FORMAT FOR ASSESSING REINFORCER PREFERENCES

We compared three methods for presenting stimuli during reinforcer-pre ference assessments: a paired-stimulus format (PS), a multiple-stimulu s format in which selections were made with replacement (MSW), and a m ultiple-stimulus format in which selections were made without replacem ent (MSWO). Results obtained for 7 participants showed moderate to hig h rank-order correlations between the MSWO and PS procedures and a sim ilar number of identified reinforcers. In addition, the time to admini ster the MSWO procedure was comparable to that required for the MSW me thod and less than half that required to administer the PS procedure. Subsequent tests of reinforcement effects revealed that some stimuli s elected in the PS and MSWO procedures, but not selected in the MSW pro cedure, functioned as reinforcers for arbitrary responses. These preli minary results suggest that the multiple-stimulus procedure without re placement may share the respective advantages of the other methods.