Abstract
Traditionally, behavior analysts have studied equivalence using a matching-to-sample (MTS) preparation. While researchers have demonstrated the utility of MTS to produce conditional discriminations or equivalence classes, MTS requires several prerequisite skills. Without these prerequisites, MTS may produce faulty stimulus control. Animal research has shown that alternatives to MTS such as successive matching-to-sample (S-MTS) has been sufficient to produce relational responding. Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of S-MTS as an alternative method to establish emergent relations. 24 undergraduate college students participated in the study. Following training of baseline relations (AB/BC), participants received tests to evaluate whether untrained relations (i.e., BA/CB and AC/CA) emerged. Results indicated that S-MTS might be a viable alternative to traditional MTS to establish emergent relations.