The Analysis of Verbal Behavior

The Analysis of Verbal Behavior
Title	The Analysis of Verbal Behavior
Abbreviation	Anal. Verbal Behav.
Discipline	Behavior analysis, Psychology
Language	English
Publisher	Association for Behavior Analysis International
Country	United States
History	1982–present
Frequency	Biannual
ISSN	0889-9401

The Analysis of Verbal Behavior. It is a peer-reviewed scientific journal dedicated to the experimental and theoretical analysis of language and communication from a behavioral psychology perspective. The publication serves as the primary scholarly outlet for research and discussion based on B.F. Skinner's 1957 work, Verbal Behavior. The journal is published by the Association for Behavior Analysis International and features articles on the functional analysis of verbal operants, language acquisition, and applied interventions.

Definition and Core Concepts

The field analyzes language not as a static structure but as learned behavior under the functional control of environmental variables. Its core philosophy rejects mentalism and instead seeks to explain linguistic phenomena through principles of operant conditioning and stimulus control. Central to this approach is the concept of the verbal community, which shapes and maintains an individual's verbal repertoire through reinforcement. This perspective contrasts sharply with formal linguistic theories championed by figures like Noam Chomsky, emphasizing a natural science of behavior over hypothetical internal constructs.

Historical Development and B.F. Skinner

The intellectual foundation was established by B.F. Skinner of Harvard University through his seminal 1957 book. Skinner's work extended his earlier research on radical behaviorism, outlined in works like The Behavior of Organisms, to the complex domain of language. The formalization of the research community was significantly advanced by the founding of this journal in 1982, providing a dedicated forum for scholars. Key early figures who expanded upon Skinner's framework included James L. Partington and Mark L. Sundberg, developers of the Assessment of Basic Language and Learning Skills.

Elementary Verbal Operants

The functional units of analysis are termed verbal operants, each defined by its specific antecedent and consequence. The mand is a request under the control of a motivating operation and reinforced by obtaining the specified item or action. The tact is a label or comment evoked by a nonverbal stimulus and reinforced by social acknowledgment. The echoic involves repeating a heard model, while the intraverbal constitutes a response to the verbal behavior of another, such as in conversation. Other critical operants include the textual (reading) and transcription (writing).

Applications in Language Instruction

Applied methodologies derived from this analysis are highly effective for teaching language to individuals with developmental disabilities. A prominent technology is Functional Communication Training, which teaches appropriate mands to replace challenging behavior. The Verbal Behavior Milestones Assessment and Placement Program is a widely used curriculum and assessment tool based on this framework. These interventions are central to many programs in Applied Behavior Analysis, especially for children with diagnoses such as autism spectrum disorder. Research in this area is frequently published in journals like the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis.

Research and Contemporary Developments

Contemporary research extends the analysis to complex phenomena such as stimulus equivalence, relational frame theory, and derived relational responding. Scholars like Steven C. Hayes have integrated these concepts into broader contextual behavioral science approaches. Current investigations also explore the role of the verbal community in the development of problem-solving and private events. The annual conference of the Association for Behavior Analysis International regularly features symposia dedicated to new findings in verbal behavior research.

Criticisms and Theoretical Debates

The primary criticism originates from the field of generative grammar, most famously articulated by Noam Chomsky in his 1959 review of Skinner's book. Chomsky argued that the approach could not adequately account for the poverty of the stimulus or the generative nature of language. Within behavior analysis, debates have concerned the necessity of distinguishing verbal from nonverbal behavior and the adequacy of the elementary operants to explain grammar and syntax. Some integrationists seek to reconcile aspects of the analysis with findings from cognitive psychology and neuroscience.

Category:Behaviorism Category:Academic journals