The arguments of associations

Abstract

This chapter considers associative solutions to “non‐linear” discrimination problems, such as negative patterning (A+ and B+ vs AB‐) and the biconditional discrimination (AB+ and CD+ vs AC‐ and BD‐). It is commonly assumed that the solution to these discriminations requires “configural” elements that are added to the compound of two stimuli. However, these discriminations can be solved by assuming that some elements of each stimulus are suppressed when two stimuli are presented in compound. Each of these approaches can solve patterning and biconditional discriminations because they allow some elements, as the arguments of associations, to have differential “presence” on reinforced versus nonreinforced trials, and thus differential associability and control over responding. The chapter then presents a more specific version of one of these models, describing how interactions between stimuli, particularly the competition for attention, provide a mechanism whereby some elements are more suppressed than others when stimuli are presented simultaneously as a compound.