Derived Rule Tacting and Subsequent Following by Slot Machine Players

Abstract

During a slot machine gambling task, six adult participants wagered red or silver coins, which had no impact on the programmed contingencies of the game. Following baseline gambling, each participant was presented with a series of conditional discrimination training and testing trials to establish a self-rule that either the red or silver coins were somehow “better” to use. Tacting of the participant’s self-rule was measured using fill-in-the blank and multiple-choice procedures. Upon returning to slot machine gambling, five of six participants altered their response options among coin colors in accordance with newly derived self-rule. Implications for conceptual development of self-awareness and practical applications of self-awareness using Skinner’s framework of language are discussed.