Relational Frame Theory

Question 1

Relational Frame Theory

Answer 1

RFT is a modern behaviour analytic account of human cognition and language

Question 2

Describe the development of behaviourism

Answer 2

Pavlov and Watson’s classical conditioning/ Skinner’s operant conditioning/ and the application of behaviourism in therapies and analysis.

Question 3

Define Relational Frame Theory (RT)

Answer 3

Relational Frame Theory is described as a modern behavior analytic account of human cognition and language, often misunderstood due to its technical language and non-traditional approach.

Question 4

How does Relational Frame Theory differ from traditional views on behaviorism and cognition?

Answer 4

Relational Frame Theory challenges the assumption that behaviorism has little to offer in understanding human language and cognition, evolving based on empirical, applied, and clinical research.

Question 5

Describe the concept of private events’ in relation to thoughts and language.

Answer 5

Private events are thoughts and experiences accessible only to the individual thinker, influencing language development and evolving based on social reinforcement.

Question 6

What is the significance of the ‘Cognitive revolution’?

Answer 6

The ‘Cognitive revolution’ marked a shift in psychology towards cognitive processes, challenging the dominance of behaviorism and leading to the development of cognitive theories and therapies

Question 7

What did Skinner propose about language in behavioral terms according to the content?

Answer 7

Skinner proposed that language is learned behavior, acquired, extended, and maintained through similar principles that control non-language behavior, reinforced through the mediation of others’ behavior.

Question 8

Describe Skinner’s Verbal Operants: Mands, Tacts, Echoics, Intraverbals, Autoclitics

Answer 8

Mands involve making requests, Tacts are verbal responses to nonverbal stimuli, Echoics involve repeating another speaker’s words, Intraverbals occur after other verbal behavior, Autoclitics alter the effect of other verbal responses.

Question 9

Define Tacting in relation to private events.

Answer 9

Tacting involves learning to talk about private events by observing physical changes and inferring the private event being experienced.

Question 10

How are verbal behaviors (operants) established according to
Skinner’s Verbal Behavior?

Answer 10

Verbal behaviors are established through reinforcement, although criticisms suggest that the environment may not provide enough reinforcement for rapid language development.

Question 11

Explain the concept of stimulus equivalence in FT Basics.

Answer 11

Stimulus equivalence refers to the idea that humans can respond in ways that cannot be explained by direct contingencies, where written words, spoken words, and pictures become interchangeable or equivalent.

Question 12

What are some criticisms of Skinner’s Verbal Behavior regarding language development and reinforcement?

Answer 12

Critics argue that there may not be enough reinforcement in the environment to explain rapid language development, but potential rebuttals include schedules of reinforcement, generalization, and response classes.

Question 13

How does Skinner’s Verbal Behavior address situations where individuals lack experience with specific contingencies?

Answer 13

Skinner suggested that a long history of verbal conditioning plays a role in how individuals respond in novel situations, even without direct experience with specific contingencies.

Question 14

Describe stimulus equivalence in behavioral terms.

Answer 14

Stimulus equivalence is a type of behavior where individuals respond to stimuli and events as if they are related, even in the absence of direct reinforcement or instruction.

Question 15

Define Relational Frame Theory (RT)

Answer 15

RT suggests that humans learn to derive relationships that are not explicitly taught, and apply these derived relationships systematically to verbal behavior.

Question 16

Describe the concept of transfer of stimulus functions in stimulus equivalence

Answer 16

Transfer of stimulus functions in stimulus equivalence refers to the phenomenon where a function explicitly trained to one member of an equivalence class may transfer to other members of the class without further training

Question 17

What is the significance of relational responding in FT compared to stimulus equivalence?

Answer 17

Relational responding in FT goes beyond stimulus equivalence by allowing for multiple types of relations between stimuli, such as bigger than, smaller than, better than, and more, expanding the ways stimuli can be related.

Question 18

How does RT explain the process of forming relationships between stimuli?

Answer 18

RT suggests that individuals learn to derive relationships between stimuli by observing numerous examples and eventually applying these principles independently, often starting with two-way relationships and progressing to one-way relationships.

Question 19

Describe relational framing behavior in the context of RFT.

Answer 19

Relational framing behavior involves relating stimuli to each other based on given information, deriving multiple relationships from limited data

Question 20

What is Arbitrarily Applicable Relational Responding (AARR)
according to RFT?

Answer 20

AARR is a type of operant behavior where individuals respond to one event in terms of another, forming relationships between stimuli based on language, rules, and stimulus equivalence.

Question 21

How does Nonarbitrarily Applicable Relational Responding (NAARR)
differ from AARR in RFT?

Answer 21

NAARR involves animals responding to stimuli based on physical properties and direct experiences, unlike AARR which is based on arbitrary relationships.

Question 22

Define stimulus equivalence in the context of FT.

Answer 22

Stimulus equivalence refers to the ability to respond to stimuli in relation to each other, forming relationships between different stimuli.

Question 23

Describe the concept of forming relationships based on physical properties in RFT.

Answer 23

In FT, forming relationships based on physical properties like color, shape, quantity, and size is considered nonarbitrary, as opposed to arbitrary relationships based on social conventions.

Question 24

What is the significance of language, rule-following, and stimulus equivalence in relational Frame Theory?

Answer 24

These elements are seen as instances of Arbitrarily Applicable Relational Responding (AARR), a key concept in RFT that involves responding to stimuli in relation to each other based on language and rules

Question 25

Define AARR in the context of RFT.

Answer 25

AARR refers to a more advanced type of relating where individuals derive relations between stimuli and events independently of their physical characteristics.

Question 26

How does RFT explain the development of AARR in humans compared to nonhumans?

Answer 26

RFT argues that humans develop AARR through exposure to contingencies in their environment, leading to the ability to derive relations independently of physical characteristics.

Question 27

Describe the concept of stimulus equivalence in RFT.

Answer 27

Stimulus equivalence in RT refers to stimuli being arbitrarily related based on their sameness or similarity, demonstrating AARR.

Question 28

How does FT explain the formation of relationships between stimuli?

Answer 28

RFT explains that relational responding is the act of forming relationships between stimuli, which can occur in various ways using AARR.

Question 29

What are some examples of prejudice and bias attitudes that FT can provide accounts for?

Answer 29

RT can provide accounts for prejudice, bias, and racism attitudes, including issues related to racism, sectarianism, anti-fat bias, mental health bias, and gender bias

Question 30

Define the IRAP measure in the context of FT.

Answer 30

The IRAP is an RFT measure used to assess attitudes and biases towards socially sensitive issues, such as prejudice and bias attitudes.

Question 31

How is RFT related to mental health problems according to the content?

Answer 31

RFT is heavily related to mental health problems as it provides accounts of prejudice, bias attitud and how language is used to derive relations about oneself.