A Comparison of Secondary Target Location in Instructive Feedback Procedures

Instructive feedback (IF) is an effective strategy for increasing the efficiency of targeted instruction. Although effective, the mechanisms underlying the acquisition of secondary targets via IF are unknown. In the current investigation, two forms of IF were compared to determine if indiscriminable contingencies were responsible, in part, for the acquisition of secondary targets during IF procedures. During teaching, IF stimuli were presented either before or after the praise statement for mastered tacts to two learners with autism spectrum disorders. Across both participants, IF before the praise statement resulted in faster acquisition of secondary targets that were maintained for 16–18 weeks post intervention. These results extend the IF literature by providing evidence that acquisition of secondary targets via IF may at least partially attributed to the occurrence of indiscriminable contingencies.