Generalization of say-do correspondence

Say-do correspondence training establishes a relation between what a person says and then does, or does and then reports. The conditions that establis h the generalized form of this behavior-behavior relation have not been tho roughly investigated. The current study analyzes two conditions, or types o f histories, giving rise to the generalization of say-do correspondence. El even preschool children, ages 3 years, 10 months to 5 years, participated. Two baseline phases showed the lack of say-do correspondence in four behavi ors, two similar and two dissimilar, with the second baseline involving soc ial consequences contingent upon saying what to do. Next, differential cons equences were applied to the say-do correspondence relation in Behavior 1. Subsequently, say-do correspondence was maintained under two conditions wit h 6 and 5 children participating, respectively. In both conditions conseque nces were equally thinned but in Condition 1, saying was kept in a vocal mo dality (as during training) and, in Condition 2, saying was changed from a vocal to a symbolic modality. Generalized say-do correspondence of untraine d behaviors was then tested. Considering the first trial for each behavior, greater generalization was observed in the symbolic condition. Observation of the children's behavior in this condition indicated that the type of sy mbolic saying response used in the current study permitted the transfer of the stimulus properties of saying from the saying to the doing context.