Abstract
The current study investigated role of verbal behavior on the development of comparative relations. We conducted two experiments using sixteen college students. Across both experiments, twelve participants underwent conditional discrimination training with nonarbitrary and arbitrary stimuli, and then derived and transformation of function tests. Participants who failed tests received verbal operant training to remediate performance. Four control participants received verbal operant training alone to assess whether conditional discrimination was a prerequisite for positive test performances. Across both studies, one participant passed derived comparative tests after conditional discrimination training. However, all participants passed derived and transformation of function tests following verbal operant training, including the two control participants. Participants who passed derived tests engaged in a high percentage of correct vocalizations, while participants who failed did not. Results suggest that verbal operant training may be sufficient to establish comparative frames, and that mediating variables may have influenced participants’ responses during tests.