Abstract

ORTIZ, GERARDO  and  GONZALEZ, VÍCTOR. EFFECT OF TWO TYPES OF PRE-CONTACT DESCRIPTIONS ON THE INSTRUMENTAL PERFORMANCE AND POST-CONTACT DESCRIPTION ON MATCHING TO SAMPLE TASKS. Act.Colom.Psicol. [online]. 2010, vol.13, n.1, pp.115-126. ISSN 0123-9155.

The effects of different kinds of pre-contact descriptions were assessed: a) one specific and pertinent (EP) in the situation components of the stimulus (SE), Response (R), and Consequences (C); and b) one that shows variations about the correct and incorrect ways to perform the experimental task (IC). Using a first order matching-to-sample task, 24 undergraduate students were assigned to one of the six experimental groups that differed on the type of pre-contact description (EP or IC) and received feedback (continuous, accumulated or absent). Participants that received EP pre-contact descriptions showed better results in a transference test, independent of the feedback received, except for the IC group with accumulated feedback. Results are discussed in terms of the factors that allow a pre-contact description to acquire an instructional function.

Keywords : Contingency descriptions; instructions; instrumental performance; pos-contact descriptions; matching-to-sample; undergraduate students.

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