Transfer of skin conductance responses through stimulus equivalence classes

Abstract

This study investigated the transfer of classically conditioned skin conductance responses through stimulus equivalence classes. Fourteen subjects were taught 4 stimulus relations, A1 → B1, A1 → C1, A2 → B2, and A2 → C2 through matching-to-sample training. In subsequent matching-to-sample tests, 13 subjects demonstrated the formation of two stimulus equivalence classes, "A1, B1, and C1" and "A2, B2, and C2." They then received differential conditioning, in which Stimulus B1 was followed by electric shocks, while B2 was not followed by the shocks. Subsequent transfer tests revealed that skin conductance responses for Stimulus C1 were greater than those for C2, suggesting the transfer of conditioned responses through the stimulus equivalence classes.