The definition of verbal behavior includes all oral and non-oral forms of communication; an efficient and quick way to get what you want (wants and needs met) in which is mostly maintained by social reinforcement.
B.F. Skinner refers to operant conditioning as to describe the effects of the consequences of a particular behavior on the future occurrence of that behavior. Hence, if something is operant, it is essentially learned. Operant behavior is essentially reinforced through mediation by other persons.
There are eight to nine verbal operants. Verbal operants include: Mand, Tact, Intraverbal, Codic (textual & transciption), Duplic (echoic, copying words, imitating signs & imitating selection mands), Intraverbal and Autoclitic (secondary verbal operant). Nonverbal operants include: Manded Stimulus Selection and Manded Compliance.
Nonverbal operants include selecting a named item (manded simulus selection) or following a direction to complete a task (manded compliance).
I am going to focus on defining the Verbal Operants in layman’s terms:
Mand: requesting, asking for something that one wants. For example: asking for a piece of candy because you want something sweet to eat. When manding there is a motivation behind it (MO), it is under antecdent control of an Establishing operation (EO). In otherwords, the speaker is asking for something he/she wants or has a need for at the present moment.
Tact: Skinner coined this term from “conTACT” with the environment. This is typically labeling or naming an object- the object is present. For example: think of those children in which are hyperlexic and will read signs or words they come into contact with “emergency” when seeing the emergency sign, or “exit” when seeing an exit sign, or stating “apple” when there is an apple sitting on the table. Labeling something you see in the environment!
Duplic: there are four types that fall under this category- Echoic (repeating words, sounds, phrases), Copy Text, Imitating Signs, Imitating Selction Mands. Lets walk through an example of each of these.
Echoic – replicating what is heard, hearing someone say “Ms. Enos” and the child saying “Ms. Enos.” There must be a vocal!
Copy Text – writing what you’ve seen someone else write. For example, teacher writes on the board “pencil” and child writes “pencil.” Another example would be copying spelling words off of the board. Writing what you see!
Imitating Signs – repeating a sign motor movement. For example, seeing someone sign “cracker” and then signing cracker. You will see typically developing children imitate motor movements within their development often at the preschool age. Mimicking a sign or gesture!
Imitating Selection Mands – this is another form of imitation. Lets look at pecs for example the child selects the picture “shoes” because they have just seen someone else select the picture of “shoes” as a request to get their shoes. Though the imitator is not necessarily requesting his/her shoes- merely copying the action in which another child is demanding.
Codic: antecedent (what happens directly before) is verbal and is identical. For example, reading text, transcribing, saying what you see finger spelled, finger spelling what you hear. As a hint, think medical secretaries and transcription or think of a spelling bee in which you are spelling words that are spoken to you!
Intraverbal: something verbal has to happen first (under antecedent control of verbal stimuli) this does not have to be identical. For example, asking a question and getting an answer. Answering the question where do you do your homework? “At the dining room table” is an intraverbal. These can also include filling in a blank or response to a statement. Think of our conversations daily!
Autoclitic: making a comment on something someone is talking about, or syntax. Skinner referred to this as a second verbal operant, which results in more than just an answer but a different response. “Yes, we went to Sunshine Market to get groceries” in response to “Did you get groceries?” Or adding please to the beginning of a sentence “please go clean your room.”
I hope these definitions make sense and help clear pieces up. I’m always open to new examples as well so comment away!
