Effects of reinforcing fragmentary responses on the “usage” of the article´s gender in preschoolers

Abstract

The correct “usa ge” of thc article’s gen áer in pAirases was experimentally studiecl on three preschool chilclren. The operant level of lhe grammatical particle was recorded in dic absence of either prompting or reinforccment. The experimental treatment invulvcd reinforcing the association of those frag­mentar» responses which were cornponents of both the article and the noun. .4 reversal procedure was used lo evaiuate the experimental effects. Results showed an increase from zero tu one hstndreá percent in performance from

baseline to the experimental treatment. Results are analyzed in terms of the acquisition of extended idiomatic segments, instead of tite analysis implied by traditional molecular hypotheses which postulate pro found or behavioral generative processes.