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Verbal behavior is a topic that is most associated with a clinical setting. One of the main targets for clinicians, particularly for early intervention, is teaching mands (likely related to snacks or iPads), tacts, and intraverbals. However, the concepts of verbal behavior are present in everyday interactions and impact how we communicate with others.

This infographic will give you basic information on what verbal behavior is and how it is defined.

Very few books are celebrated on their 50th or 60th anniversary. Dr. Henry Schlinger makes the case for why Verbal Behavior is one of those books. Skinner himself noted that “It will, I believe, prove to be my most important work” (Skinner, 1977, p. 379). The story of how this book came to be is almost as complex as the topic itself.

Skinner’s Verbal Behavior may be a difficult read for some. The content is complex but unpacks all aspects of verbal behavior. One can gain a lot of insight from his book if completely understanding it. In part 1 of this analysis, Mark Sundberg explains how language is typically measured and how Skinner suggests language should be measured, and in what units to measure it.

In Part 4, Dr. Mark Sundberg expands on his previous courses and delves into developing and implementing a language intervention program based on the results of the VB-MAPP Assessments.* Dr. Sundberg overviews typical language development milestones and the implications these have for children and adults with language delays. With the assistance of a completed VB-MAPP, participants will learn the steps to beginning, developing, and implementing an intervention program. Verbal operants will be broken down, and considerations for the selection of goals will be discussed.

“When I was in university, I asked my professor, ‘How do I teach language skills to kids?” and my professor gave me Skinner’s Verbal Behavior book. So, the answer is not exactly in the book, but it is ultimately in the book”

In this course, Dr. Eb Blakely and Dr. Hank Schlinger describe function-altering operations and detail how function-altering interpretations can be used to explain the effects of respondent and operant conditioning. Other examples of function-altering operations including observational learning and imprinting are then described. The presentation concludes with a discussion on the implications of taking a function-altering approach to explaining behavior in applied and conceptual contexts.

In today’s episode of BOOST U!, Maddie Duke, M.S., BCBA, and Christi Reed, M.S. cover verbal behavior. Listeners will learn about mands, tacts, codics, duplics, and intraverbals: what each looks like as well as how to teach learners to engage in each type of verbal behavior. 

Understanding rules and rule-governed behavior has been a pervasive conceptual issue in behavior analysis since Skinner’s initial analysis in his book, Verbal Behavior (1957). Since then the exact function of rules and verbal stimuli has been a point of conjecture. In this course, Dr. Hank Schlinger, BCBA-D, provides a detailed overview of the history of the analysis of rules and provides a contemporary perspective on rule-governed behavior informed by Blakely and Schlinger (1987a, 1987b).

If you have ever worked with vocal-verbal humans, it would be no surprise to hear the differences in complexity between two speakers. B.F. Skinner developed and produced Verbal Behavior attempting to provide a thorough functional account of language that has proved to be imperative in teaching basic verbal operants. However, refinements for more complex behavior may be useful.

Today we are joined by Dr. Dorothea Lerman, Dr. Sarah Lechago, Dr. Jennifer Fritz as well as two third-year master's students, Mary Signorella & Aunie Abernathy. This program is JAM PACKED and I have learned so much from speaking to this group of amazing women.

Today we are joined by Dr. Holly Rittenhouse-Cea from University of Dayton's Online ABA Program. This isn't just your ordinary online program, with small cohorts and a plethora of opportunities to connect with faculty and other students you are guaranteed to get out of this program, what you put in.

“Reinforcement is a verbal operant. Our challenge is to identify which verbal operant it is at any given time.” Hank Schlinger Jr, PhD, BCBA-D

Today we are joined by Dr. Doug Greer, Dr. Jessica Dudek, & Dr. Daniel Fienup from Teachers College Columbia University and CABAS. This is one of the oldest programs in the country and has developed into a very unique program. To quote Dr. Doug Greer, "We’re sort of like Indiana Jones. We want to get our whip, hat, and go out there and deal with it, but we don't use whips."

Join Operant Innovations as they talk with Dr. Megan Heinicke and Dr. Caio Miguel about the undergraduate and graduate degrees at CSU - Sacramento State.