Instructors Notes Unit 1 Flashcards
Skinner Verbal BX
1) Systematic analysis of Language
- Reinforcement
- Extinction
- Punishment
- Generalization
- Discrimination
- Motivation
Skinner Verbal Bx
2) Behavioral understanding of language through e.gs
-VB is Bx that is reinforced by the actions of another person
-Verbal Bx acts upon the social world (because it effects the bx of the listener)
• Skinner uses the same analysis & principles of bx that he applied to nonverbal bx
• Analyze the environmental conditions that control the bx: A-B-C
Views of Language
Biological
- Biological: Physical system, Chomsky
- Cognitive: Receptive-expressive framework dominates the current language assessment & intervention programs for children w/ASD
Views of language
-Cognitive
• receptive-expressive framework dominates the current language assessment & intervention programs for children w/ ASD
Views of Language
-Environmental
- Language is bx & has a fx
* both environmental variables & physiological processes
*Language perspectives
- Traditional/Linguistic
- Form & Structure
- Words & “Meaning”
- Measure: Phonemes & morphemes
- Effect on listener
Skinnerian
-Functional Unit of analysis: -Operant -A-B-C -Bx of speaker
VB:
Speaker
- Emits Verbal response
- The BX: The person speaking, signing, writing
- Verbalizer
VB:
Listener
- Provides antecedents (SD) & con
- Related to “receptive” language
- Mediator
- Nonverbal bx
*Speaker & Listener
Speaker Someonewhoengagesinvbbyemitting mands, tacts, intraverbals, autoclitics, etc. A speaker is also someone who uses sign language, gestures, signals, written words, codes, pictures, or any form of vb.
Speaker and Listener
Listener: Someone who provides SR+ for vb. A listener may also serve as an audience evoking vb. The distinction between listener & speaker is often blurred by the fact that much of a listener’s behavior may involve becoming a speaker at the covert level (e.g., thinking about what was said). Often a speaker may be his own listener. (Sundberg, 2004)
“Receptive Language”
- Listener BX, Mediator BX, Receptive Response, Manded compliance or Manded stimulus selection, non-verbal operant bx
- There needs to be a speaker & listener in order for this Bx to occur
- The listener is responding to the VB of a speaker
- If there isn’t a speaker then it is just non-verbal bx
a) Verbal Stimulus-> b) Learner bx: Non-verbal Bx (compliance)->c) Non-specific rein
*Expressive Vs. “Receptive” Language!
- Skinner does not use these terms!
- Why not? cuz they imply…
- They are different manifestations of the same underlying cognitive processes
- The listener’s bx also constituted language
- Understanding what words mean is the same as expressing words
Covert VB
- The speaker can function as their own listener/audience!
- Covert VB: thinking, understanding, problem solving, processing
- All the verbal operants are possible
- Linguists are concerned with the listener & wat words mean to them
- e.g: speaker says, “wat did you do this weekend?Where did I go? oh yeah…”
- E.g. the listener covertly counts when asked how many more weeks of school do you have left?
*Verbal Operants
*All instances of vb can be classified into verbal operants
• Functional units of language A-B-C
• Units of language make up an individual’s verbal
repertoire
• Functionally independent of each other (different effects on environment)
• Each shares a common antecedent (SDs & MOs) & consequence
• Typical development: transfer across operants occurs rapidly & without direct teaching
• Those w/ ASD, transfer procedures are often required to teach verbal operants
Mand vs. Tact
Skinner wrote that the tact was the most important operant
Strong argument that mands are more important
*Mands:
-Response directly benefits the speaker
-Learn something about the condition (motivation) of the speaker
*Tacts:
-Response benefits the listener
-Learn something about the condition of the current environment
-Allows speaker to identify & describe features of his/her environment
Duplic Con’t:
Echoic, mimetic, copying a text
All have point to point correspondence & formal similarity
Mirrored responses
Imitation of words/sounds (echoic)
Imitation of Signs (mimetic)
Imitation of Picture Selection (mimetic)
Copying a text
*They all have a verbal response and a response with pt- pt correspondence and formal similarity & have generalized rein
Codic
*Has point-to-point correspondence with an antecedent verbal stimulus
*Does NOT have formal similarity Includes;
1. Textual (reading)
2. Diction (transcription)
3. Finger spelling words that are heard
Codic: Textual
- Point to point correspondence & no formal similarity
- Verbal Stim (printed word)->B: Codic->SR+ (Social rein)
e. g: Saying the word “Bx in response to the printed word “bx” or “bx”
Codic: Transcription
Point to point correspondence & no formal similarity
-Vocal Verbal STIM (Spoken words) -> Spelling/writing -> SR+ (RX)
Multiple Controlled Operants
*Responses can occur in multiple operants & can be controlled by one or more stimuli & one or more consequences
A: More than 1 STIM -> B: Verbal Res-> C: SR+
E.g. EO+presence of object (Object + verbal stimulus) -> More than one SR+
Multiple Controlled Operants
-Saying or Signing “Chocolate milk” in response to seeing a glass of chocolate milk & just having completed a hard physical workout mand/tact “What do you want?” where there is nothing of high value I sight could result in an Inter intraverbal-mand, if the child were to answer with a specific request.
Be aware of this when you are teaching!
Convergent multiple Control:
- Multiple antecedent stimuli combine to evoke a single verbal response
- R “dog”- MO-SD1 pic of dog - SD2 “say dog” - SD3 “what is it”?
Divergent multiple control:
R1
R4 R2
R3
An single antecedent stimulus affects more than just one response
Skinner provides a VB analysis of some of the most complex aspects of language including syntax & grammar.
- In these chap (12, 13 & 14) he covers a variety of complex grammar such as:
- Past & Present tense verbs
- Pronouns
- Prepositions
- Auxiliary verbs (is, will, may, can, etc.)
- Plurals
Autoclitics:
*Skinner differentiates the primary verbal, operants, e.g. Mand, Tact, Intraverbal etc. from secondary verbal Operants know as autoclitics
- “The term autoclitic is intended to suggest bx which is based upon or depends upon other verbal bx”
- It only occurs in conjunction with primary verbal operants. It does not occur alone!
- No pt to pt correspondence & no formal similarity
Autoclitic
- Auto: self
- Critic: Lean
- Commenting on what you are talking about
- A: Verbal Stim (Another verbal operant/multiple ant. stimulus!) -> R In many forms -> SR+ (Specific RX)
Autoclitics:
*“The term ‘autoclitic’ is intended to suggest (verbal) bx which is based upon or depends upon other VB” p. 315
- It’s VB about VB!
- The speaker may use VB about his own Bx. Or you can think of some autoclitics as “Self-descriptive”
- Michael (1992) suggests using the terms: Primary verbal operants (standard relation) Secondary verbal operants (autoclitic relations)
Audience
Operant Bx that has an effect on environment ONLY through the mediation of another person
Behavior shaped and maintained by socially mediated consequences
Composed of Listeners belonging to a trained verbal community.
Verbal behavior is shaped and maintained by a verbal environment transmitted from one generation to another..
*Tied to cultural selection
Autoclitics
*Involves two 3-term contingencies in which a speakers own vbx function as an SD or MO for additional speaker verbal bx.
• Autoclitics can take the form of specific words, tags (prefix or suffixes) & word order.
• Tact: “Horse.” (primary operant) • Ex: autoclitic tacts:
• I see a horse.
• I hear a horse
• I smell a horse.
• I think it might be a horse.
*Autoclitics:
Autoclitics as Mands:
• Controlled by EOs & can manipulate the listener
bx in way the are reinforcing to the speaker.
• Please give me the blue play-doh.
• I want that car.
• Can I have the toy in the box.
• “more” & “please” as with all autoclitics must accompany a primary operant. “I want more cookies please”.
Autoclitic Tact:
E.g. I See
- Primary or standard Tact “Puppy”
- Secondary/autoclitic Tact: “I see….”
- “I see” the speaker tacts the visual SD of the puppy as the source of control of there primary tact “Puppy”
*Autoclitic
Summary
-Autoclitics increase the probability that the listener will behave appropriately/ effectively by coming into contact with the circumstances that control the speaker VB. The speaker’s bx is then rein by more accurate bx by the listener.
• Learners must first acquire a strong verbal repertoire of primary operants (300-800 words) before autoclitic behavior will occur.
• Make sure learner has prerequisite skills first
• Therapist need to be able to identify the controlling variables
*Private Events
-The speaker can function as an audience for his/her own vb.
• Ex: “thinking”
• Remember bx is a fx of the environment and some stimuli originate within the skin
• Skinner’s philosophical view, Radical Behaviorism, concerns the treatment of private stimuli.
• We acquire vb by public stimuli & by private stimuli. • Ex: tacting: itches, pains, nausea
*Private Events: Public accompaniment: an Observable Stimulus (bumping head/fall down) accompanies a private event/stimulus (pain)
*Ex: learn to id what is going on in your body accurately (parent teaches child when they bump their head)
• use: echoic to tact transfer “ouch” or “hurt” or “pain”
Private Events
- Collateral Response: An Observable BX (didn’t see kid but sees him holding head/crying) occurs along with a private stimulus
- Ex: Laughing/smiling correlated with joy/happiness
- The target stimulus MUST be present in order to teach the Tact of the Private Event!
Rejection of VB & Punishment
-Punishment seems to be the main indep. variable responsible for shaping self-editing this increases
the appropriateness of vb p380
• Reinforcement, EOs, stimulus control, automatic reinforcement, and the other behavioral principles
all play a role in the analysis of verbal behavior
• If all your vb were rein you would talk all the time!!!
Rejection of VB & Punishment
-Recalling/Revoking by an additional response: ex: “I didn’t mean that. “Opps”
-Concealing the identity of the speaker
-“Recession to the covert level” Ex: Self-editing occurs before: or not say what I am thinking.
-“Talking to one’s self”
-“Disguised speech”
-We only emit so many verbal responses due to punishment. Otherwise it would occur at a very high rate.
So, we have a careful balance of only emitting so many v, responses. This establishes stronger stimulus control!!
4 Types of Self-editing Problems
1) Caring: Evoked by EO, high value of pos LR to VB
2) Uncaring: Evoked by EO of neg listener reaction
3) Aware: Tacts own VB, Tacts sources of control for his VB, Tact the listener’s response to his/her VB
4) Unaware: Failure to Tact one’s own Bx & the variables of which it is a Fx
*Private Events:
Aware, Caring
- Weak v. repertoires
- May edit too much
- Emotional by-products
*Aware, Uncaring
- Offensive VB
- Typical social pun are ineffective
- Select v. community = diff. rein.
*Unaware, caring
- High rate vb
- Strong EO for attention
- Auto rein for own VB
- Unaware of effects of VB on others
Unaware, Uncaring
- Delusional, Rambling self-talk
- Not susceptible to tx
- Pun ineffective
*Verbal Operant Review
1) Mand
2) Intraverbal
3) Echoic
1) Mand–requesting, demanding, asking a question hint: reprimand, demand, command, Tact–naming, labeling hint: senses contact the environment
2) Intraverbal–word sequence, word associates. Verbal CSDs are also the main sources of control for most intraverbal bx
3) Echoic (D)–saying words that you hear
Verbal Operant Review:
4) Copying a text
5) Mimetic
6) Textual
7) Taking dictation
4) Copying a text (D)–writing words that you see
5) Mimetic (D)–making sign you see someone else make
6) Textual (C) –saying words that you see
7) Taking dictation (C) –writing words that you hear
Conclusion
As behavior analysts it is important to know about vb & it’s controlling variables to support understanding in language deficits & errors prevalent to populations that bx analysts commonly work with such as ASD, DD & TBI patients. This analysis should aid in identifying barriers to language & lead to more effective programming & teaching procedures for
learners acquiring functional language to have a better quality of life!!
Conclusion
As behavior analysts it is important to know about vb & it’s controlling variables to support understanding in language deficits & errors prevalent to populations that bx analysts commonly work with such as ASD, DD & TBI patients. This analysis should aid in identifying barriers to language & lead to more effective programming & teaching procedures for
learners acquiring functional language to have a better quality of life!!
Verbal behavior requires:
A. the behavior of a listener
B. MOs
C. nonverbal behavior
a) The bx of a listener:
a trained audience to provide rein
- A listener is someone who provides reinforcement for_____ _____.
A. producing stimuli
B. nonverbal behavior
C. verbal behavior
c) VB
- I am always pressed for time. So, in the grocery store I am always searching for the shortest checkout line that has a light “on” vs. “off.” This is an example of:
a. Response Generalization
b. Stimulus Generalization
c. Conditional Discrimination
d. Evocative Effects
C) Conditional Discrimination
- I am teaching a male client to independently use a public bathroom. I teach him to look for a sign that says restroom and then open the door with the male bathroom sign.
A. Stimulus Generalization
B. Response Generalization
C. Simple discrimination
D. Conditional discrimination
d) Conditional discriminations
- If it matters how the listeners react to his verbal behavior this is:
A. Caring
B. Uncaring
C. Aware
D. Unaware
A) Caring
- If I say, “I want ice-cream.” Then, the child I am working says, “I want ice-cream.” His response is which verbal operant?
A. Mand
B. Tact
C. Echoic
D. Intraverbal
C) Echoic
- Which verbal operant is the following example: Being hot and hungry then, saying, “I want ice-cream.”
A. Mand
B. Tact
C. Echoic
D. Intraverbal
A) Mand
- In the previous example, being hot and hungry is an example of a/n
A. operant
B. Mand
C. EO
D. specific reinforcement
C) EO
- Which of the following is/are example(s) of Sam’s behavior? X= Sam is reading a book silently Y= Sam is listening to Rahim read a book.
A. X is an example of behavior
B. Y is an example of behavior
C. Both X and Y are examples of behavior
D. Neither X nor Y are examples of behavior
C. Both X and Y are examples of behavior
- Public or Private Behavior? Standing alone on a pier
A. Public behavior
B. Private behavior
C. Both
D. Neither
A) Public BX
- Public or Private Behavior? Dreaming about dancing
A. Public behavior
B. Private behavior
C. Both
D. neither
B) Private
- Public or Private Behavior? Smelling a flower
A. Public behavior
B. Private behavior
C. Both
D. Neither
C) Both
