EFFECTS OF VERBAL AND NON-VERBAL CULTURAL CONSEQUENCES ON CULTURANTS

Experiments about the effects of cultural consequences (CCs) upon culturants (IBCs+APs) suggest an important role of two specific variables: competition between operant contingencies and metacontingencies, and the antecedent and consequent verbal events to the participants' behavior. The present study manipulated the presentation of verbal (VCCs) and non-verbal (NVCCs) cultural consequences, examining their effects on culturants under conditions of competition and no competition between operant contingencies and metacontingencies. One hundred and twenty-three college students composed four microcultures. We programmed two microcultures with an ABABCD design and two microcultures with a BABACD format. Competition and noncompetition between operant contingencies and metacontingencies were also manipulated. In Condition A verbal and nonverbal cultural consequences were contingent on target culturants; in Condition B there were only nonverbal cultural consequences; in Condition C only verbal cultural consequences were presented; and in Condition D there was no cultural consequence programmed. Microcultures with no competition exhibited more stable rates of target-culturants. Verbal and non-verbal cultural consequences, operating in conjunction, selected and maintained target-culturants whether or not competition was operating. Verbal cultural consequences in isolation also had a selective effect, provided that they were not associated with non-verbal cultural consequences in the previous condition. Non-verbal cultural consequences in isolation selected target culturants only in the absence of competition, but maintained them whether or not competition was operating. In the absence of cultural consequences, the rate of target culturants decreased. Verbal variables defined as verbal cultural consequences showed differential effects that need consideration and additional investigations.