Acquisition of Incidental Bidirectional Naming: Isolating the Effects of Probing and Mixed-Operant Instruction
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| Title: | Acquisition of Incidental Bidirectional Naming: Isolating the Effects of Probing and Mixed-Operant Instruction |
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| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Heidi Skorge Olaff (ORCID |
| Source: | Analysis of Verbal Behavior. 2025 41(2):200-234. |
| Availability: | Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, NY 10004. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-460-1700; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://link.springer.com/ |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 35 |
| Publication Date: | 2025 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Descriptors: | Incidental Learning, Naming, Operant Conditioning, Responses, Repetition, Listening Skills, Speech Skills, Autism Spectrum Disorders, Delayed Speech, Preschool Children |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s40616-025-00221-1 |
| ISSN: | 0889-9401 2196-8926 |
| Abstract: | The primary purpose of the present experiment was to explore the extent to which repeated probing contributes to the establishment of incidental bidirectional naming (Inc-BiN). Whenever repetitive probes alone did not suffice to establish Inc-BiN, we investigated whether mixed-operant instruction (MOI)--the rapid rotation of operants within each of a series of trial blocks--improved Inc-BiN. Nine children with autism or language delays aged 3-6 participated. Three of nine participants were exposed to an extended-baseline condition, while the remaining six were exposed to one of two brief-baseline conditions before MOI. We used a multiple probe design across three novel stimulus sets, to isolate the effects of repeated probing. During post-MOI Inc-BiN probes, all participants across conditions demonstrated the emergence of Inc-BiN. Repetitive probes sufficed to establish Inc-BiN in two of three participants who were assigned to the extended-baseline condition, while for the third, Inc-BiN improved after MOI. In addition, we examined the extent to which the probe sequence impacted Inc-BiN skills. Three participants, P1, P2, and P3, were exposed to speaker (tacts) probes first, while the remaining six were exposed to listener probes first. During generative Inc-BiN probes, when testing speaker responses before listener responses (P1-P3), only listener responses emerged for two of them. In contrast, when testing listener before speaker responses, both repertoires were observed for three (P4, P5, and P7) of six participants. A one-month follow-up Inc-BiN probe demonstrated maintenance of listener responses for seven of eight participants, and tacts were maintained for three of them. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1500121 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | The primary purpose of the present experiment was to explore the extent to which repeated probing contributes to the establishment of incidental bidirectional naming (Inc-BiN). Whenever repetitive probes alone did not suffice to establish Inc-BiN, we investigated whether mixed-operant instruction (MOI)--the rapid rotation of operants within each of a series of trial blocks--improved Inc-BiN. Nine children with autism or language delays aged 3-6 participated. Three of nine participants were exposed to an extended-baseline condition, while the remaining six were exposed to one of two brief-baseline conditions before MOI. We used a multiple probe design across three novel stimulus sets, to isolate the effects of repeated probing. During post-MOI Inc-BiN probes, all participants across conditions demonstrated the emergence of Inc-BiN. Repetitive probes sufficed to establish Inc-BiN in two of three participants who were assigned to the extended-baseline condition, while for the third, Inc-BiN improved after MOI. In addition, we examined the extent to which the probe sequence impacted Inc-BiN skills. Three participants, P1, P2, and P3, were exposed to speaker (tacts) probes first, while the remaining six were exposed to listener probes first. During generative Inc-BiN probes, when testing speaker responses before listener responses (P1-P3), only listener responses emerged for two of them. In contrast, when testing listener before speaker responses, both repertoires were observed for three (P4, P5, and P7) of six participants. A one-month follow-up Inc-BiN probe demonstrated maintenance of listener responses for seven of eight participants, and tacts were maintained for three of them. |
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| ISSN: | 0889-9401 2196-8926 |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s40616-025-00221-1 |
