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Cited by 187Behavioral and Psychological StudiesAcademic and Historical Perspectives in PsychologyCategorization, perception, and language

Understanding complex behavior: The transformation of stimulus functions

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Dymond, Simon, Rehfeldt, Ruth Anne·2000·The Behavior Analyst
DOI 10.1007/bf03392013PMC PMC2731337
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Abstract

The transformation of stimulus functions is said to occur when the functions of one stimulus alter or transform the functions of another stimulus in accordance with the derived relation between the two, without additional training. This effect has been demonstrated with a number of derived stimulus relations, behavioral functions, experimental preparations, and subject populations. The present paper reviews much of the existing research on the transformation of stimulus functions and outlines a number of important methodological and conceptual issues that warrant further attention. We conclude by advocating the adoption of the generic terminology of relational frame theory to describe both the derived transformation of stimulus functions and relational responding more generally.

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  • It has long been known that Pavlovian eliciting and operant avoidance functions, among others, may alter or transform in accordance with how events are related.

    “It has long been known that Pavlovian eliciting and operant avoidance functions, among others, may alter or transform in accordance with how events are related (Dougher, Augustson, Markham, Greenway, & Wulfert, 1994; Dymond & Rehfeldt, 2000; Vervoort, Vervliet, Bennett, & Baeyens, 2014).”

    From Relapse of anxiety-related fear and avoidance: Conceptual analysis of treatment with acceptance and commitment therapy (2020) · cites this paper as Dymond & Rehfeldt, 2000

    The ‘Transfer of Functions Through Equivalence’ section reports that respondent eliciting functions can transfer through stimulus equivalence, and the paper describes functions transforming according to derived relations. Its ‘Future Directions’ section discusses avoidance responses in anxiety as a possible application, but does not establish that operant avoidance functions have been shown to transform in this way. No page numbers were available in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.82)

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2 of the 75 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.

Research works printed but not linked: 9

  1. Barnes-Holmes, D., Healy, O., & Hayes, S. C. (2000). Relational frame theory and the re- lational evaluation procedure: Approaching human language as derived relational respond- ing. In J. C. Leslie & D. Blackman (Eds.), Experimental and applied analyses of human behavior (pp. 149-180). Reno, NV: Context Press.
  2. Carrigan, P E, & Sidman, M. (1992). Condi- tional discrimination and equivalence rela- tions: A theoretical analysis of control by neg- ative stimuli. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 58, 183-204.
  3. Dougher, M. J., & Markham, M. R. (1994). Stimulus equivalence, functional equivalence, and the transfer of function. In S. C. Hayes, M. Sato, & K. Ono (Eds.), Behavior analysis of language and cognition (pp. 71-90). Reno, NV: Context Press.
  4. Dymond, S., & Barnes, D. (1997b). Interpolat- ed training and testing and derived self-dis- crimination transfer. Experimental Analysis of Human Behavior Bulletin, 15, 19-23.
  5. Hayes, L. J. (1992). Equivalence as process. In S. C. Hayes & L. J. Hayes (Eds.), Under- standing verbal relations (pp. 97-108). Reno, NV: Context Press.
  6. Hayes, S. C., Barnes-Holmes, D., & Roche, B. (Eds.). (in press). Relationalframe theory: A post-Skinnerian account of human language and cognition. New York: Plenum Press.
  7. Hayes, S. C., Gifford, E. V., & Wilson, K. G. (1996). Stimulus classes and stimulus rela- tions: Arbitrarily applicable relational re- sponding as an operant. In T R. Zentall & P. M. Smeets (Eds.), Stimulus class formation in humans and animals (pp. 279-300). Amster- dam: Elsevier.
  8. Roche, B., & Barnes, D. (1997). A transfor- mation of respondently conditioned sexual arousal functions in accordance with arbitrary relations. Journal of the Experimental Analy- sis of Behavior, 67, 275-301.
  9. Saunders, R. R., Drake, K. M., & Spradlin, J. E. (1999). Equivalence class establishment, ex- pansion, and modification in preschool chil- dren. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 71, 195-214.

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Authors
Dymond, S., & Rehfeldt, R. A.
Affiliations
  • Anglia Ruskin University (GB)
  • Southern Illinois University Carbondale (US)
Corresponding author
  • Dymond, Simon
  • Rehfeldt, Ruth Anne
ORCID
Venue
The Behavior Analyst
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2000-10
Volume
23
Issue
2
Pages
239-254
ISSN
  • 0738-6729 (ISSN-L)
  • 2196-8918
DOI
10.1007/bf03392013
PMC
PMC2731337
OpenAlex
W1411190305
Cited by
187
References
75
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 11 · 2020: 13 · 2019: 14 · 2018: 11 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 10 · 2015: 13 · 2014: 6 · 2013: 6 · 2012: 8
FWCI
6.98
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • The Behavior Analyst (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Behavioral and Psychological Studies
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › General Psychology › Academic and Historical Perspectives in Psychology
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Categorization, perception, and language
Keywords
derived stimulus relations, relational responding, relational frame theory, stimulus functions, derived relations, behavioral functioning, stimulus control

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