Psychology

discuss the basic concept of Verbal Behavior as an operant paradigm. Next, discuss each of the elementary verbal operants, categorizing them according to their properties of point-to-point correspondence, formal similarity, and appropriate reinforcement according to each operant’s specific function. Finally, provide a unique example of each verbal operant to demonstrate your understanding of how each is applied to the development of language

ANSWER

Verbal Behavior

Verbal behavior is considered as a teaching methodology whereby behavior and learning are used in teaching individuals to label items and learn how to link the words to labeled items with their purpose. Considerably, in this verbal approach to acquisition of language, language is shaped through the setting, while consequences are the influence of expansion, acquisition, and maintenance of the language being taught (Meindl, Miller, and Ivy, 2018). Skinner’s operant paradigm seeks to realize the variables that result in verbal behaviors by specifying their interaction involving reinforcement, stimulus, and deprivation, which help in affecting the desired verbal responses. Language acquisition varies according to the consequences that arise from speaking within the setting. Thus, verbal behavior is included in the elaboration of how the environment stimulus through reinforcement and response boosts the probability of effective communication and maintenance of language for learning individuals.

The elementary verbal operant is the behavioral approach that illustrates how language is shaped by the effects of consequences. Ideally, speaking within the environment is dependent on elementary verbal operant that includes; tact, mand, interverbal and echoic operant.

The echoic operant involves learning by repeating exactly what the other individual says. The nature of language acquisition through repetition of verbal behavior shows point to point correspondence and formal nature of similarity (Fryling, 2017). Echoic operant relies on generalized conditioned reinforcement. For instance, when an educator says, “The coronavirus is a pandemic,” and the learner repeats in a similar way, they are applauded to maintain the same behavior.

Textual, verbal operant: Textual verbal entails the act of reading without having to comprehend what is being read. Textual behavior has no formal similarity but has a point to point correspondence with the stimulus which evokes it. For instance, a teacher holds up a sight word flashcard that was written see on it, and the student says see.

Tact: Tact operant is controlled by a nonverbal stimulus such as an event, object, and property of an object where the speaker hears, sees, tastes, smells, and comments (Fryling, 2017). Tact is a verbal operant that is controlled by non-verbal discriminative stimulus and followed by generalized conditioned reinforcement. For instance, a therapist holds a pencil and asks what this is. The patient says this is a pencil.

Interverbal: An interverbal operant is a behavior that is controlled by other verbal behavior. The speaker responds to another verbal behavior, such as a conversation. This entails giving a response to something that someone else has said. For instance, a child comes home from school and asks her mother, “where is everyone?” The mother replies, “They are playing chess in the sitting room.”

Mand Operant: In the mand operant the speaker communicates what the need or want. Specific reinforcement is given under the control of motivating operation. An example of mand is requesting for water when one is thirsty and having the water as a consequence. The water in this case is the characteristic reinforce.

In summation, verbal behavior is mediated by another individual and includes sign language, talking, and writing. In verbal behavior, language is categorized into varying categories that are based on functional analysis on why and how language is used.

References

Fryling, M. J. (2017). The functional independence of Skinner’s verbal operants: Conceptual and applied implications. Behavioral Interventions, 32(1), 70-78.

Meindl, J. N., Miller, N. D., & Ivy, J. W. (2018). Explaining language: A behavioral critique of Skinner’s analysis of verbal behavior. Archives of Scientific Psychology, 6(1), 80.