Instructional control and feedback effects on performance and poscontact descriptions

Abstract

In the present study we explored the effects of pre-contact descriptions (i.e. instructions) precision (i.e. specific and pertinent, generic and pertinent, specific and non pertinent, generic and non pertinent, irrelevant, absent) as well as the feedback frequency (i.e. continuous, accumulated) on instrumental performance and post-contact descriptions (i.e. rules) on a first order matching-to-sampling task. The precision of the pre-contact description given to subjects, as well as the analysis of post-contact descriptions made by all participants, was qualified according to the proposal made for Ortiz, González & Rosas (2008). 36 students were assigned to one of six experimental groups. Results show that subjects which received a Specific and Pertinent (SP) description with an accumulated feedback frequency had the best instrumental performance and elaborated the best post-contact descriptions. Obtained data suggest the relevance of the Response component (R) in the acquisition of an instructional function by a pre-contact description.