Desenvolvimento e aplicação de software livre para treino de discriminação simples

Abstract

This dissertation presents two studies. Study 1 reports the development of a free software, using the GNU Octave platform. Study 2 reports the application of the software in simple discrimination tasks to evaluate mixed control and function generalization with blank comparison procedure in adults. The software was developed to present visual tasks and record performance, including specific data according to the proposed assignment, such as trial’s randomization, stimuli position variation, equal distribution of different types of trial, established criteria for trial’s transition, automatic session ending based on performance and recording of relevant variables. In Study 2, images of ellipses (S+) and triangles (S-) were presented in pairs for consecutive simple discrimination training, followed by mixed control tests through blank comparison procedure. The blank comparison (MK) occasionally replaced S+ or S-. After training with three pairs of stimuli and evaluating mixed control, generalization tests of S+ and S- functions were applied, in which new pairs of ellipses and triangles were presented in trials with blank comparison (new ellipse+/MK-; MK+/new triangle-). All participants except one learned the discrimination and demonstrated mixed control and function generalization; most of them went through the procedure with virtually no errors. The software was effective to evaluate the intended repertoire. The masking procedure seems a viable alternative to assess mixed control and stimulus function generalization with adult humans.