Toward a Theory of Adaptive Training

Abstract : The purpose of this report is to identify conditions under which methods of adaptive training are more efficient than practicing criterion tasks. The author used examples of tasks for which adaptive methods might be helpful, derived a notional adaptive training paradigm from the examples) critiqued the paradigm in light of research results, identified variables that change the effectiveness of adaptive methods, derived testable hypotheses about the effects of each variable, and developed algorithms for deciding whether to use adaptive training and if so, what kind and under what conditions. Variables to consider when deciding whether or not to use adaptive training and, if so, what kind include the salience of initiating or discriminative stimuli, the salience of maintaining stimuli or reinforcers, means for altering salience (augmenting and supplementing signal, attenuating, and masking noise), sensory mode, and the relative salience of practice and criterion stimuli.