Mediated generalization: The construction of complex interactions among responses

Abstract

Mediated generalization is the general process that explains tite inductive interactions on tite basis of non definitory properties among dsfferent stimulus or response classes. In stimulus mediated generalization, a stimulus or a stimulus property that was not origi­nally conditioned acquires control over the response through mediation of another res­ponse. In response mediated generalization, a response or a response property that was not originally a conditioned response is produced because of tite control mediated by another stimulus. Mediated generalization is illustrated with several examples and its theoretical signiflcance is discussed.