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Verbal Behavior Functions
This chart shows some of Skinner’s verbal
functions, or operants. Note that the response (behavior)
is the same across all functions. Thus, the antecedents and consequences
determine what the word “means.”
Operants |
Antecedent |
Behavior |
Consequence |
| Mand |
Child wants toy airplace |
airplane |
Child gets what he said |
| Echoic |
Teacher: "Say airplane" |
airplane |
Social: Super! |
| Tact |
Child sees airplane overhead |
airplane |
Social: Wow, it's HUGE! |
| Intraverbal |
Question: "What vehicle can fly?" |
airplane |
Social: Right! |
Translation
These 4 elementary verbal operants can generally
be talked about as:
| Mand |
= |
Requesting |
| Tact |
= |
Labeling |
| Echoic |
= |
Repeating |
| Intraverbal |
= |
Conversation |
Read: Teaching
Language to Children with Autism or Other Developmental
Disabilities
(Sundberg & Partington, 1998)
Tutorial: Skinnerian
verbal relations
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