Communication is what makes us human. It allows us to allow us to get our needs met, engage with others, build independence, create memories, and develop new skills. Many learners who enter ABA services, lack adequate communication skills. By assessing communication skills by their function and using the principles of ABA, learners can develop the skills they need to communicate effectively.
This post provides an overview to help you understand the verbal operants. Understanding the verbal operants ensures you’re prepared to assess and teach these important components of communication. For more information on conducting skills assessments, read our post: How To Conduct And Document An Initial Assessment For ABA Services.
The term verbal operants refers to the different functions, or purposes, of communication. They are functional units of language that comprise different ways in which individuals use and respond to language. They are the building blocks of language and were first identified and described by B.F. Skinner, a prominent behaviorist and psychologist. Understanding verbal operants is crucial in analyzing and shaping language skills.
There are six main types of verbal operants:
All verbal behavior follows the ABCs of behavior. A different set of contingencies maintain each of the operants. Learners who don’t speak can use the verbal operants in other ways such as the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), American Sign Language (ASL) or Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC).
The mand refers to the use of language to request or demand something. It is the fundamental way individuals communicate their wants and needs. Mands can be expressed through words, phrases, or gestures. For example, a child saying, “I want juice, please” or using sign language to request a toy are examples of manding behavior. Mands are essential for individuals to express their desires and obtain reinforcement or assistance.
When trying to determine if a response is a mand, ask the question, “does the learner want this?” It follows the following format.
| Antecedent | Behavior | Consequence |
|---|---|---|
| The learner wants something | The mand | The item requested |
| Learner wants a toy dog | Learner says, “dog” | Learner receives a dog |
| Learner wants to know when he can go home | Learner says “when can I go home?” | Provided the information “you can go home at 3:00.” |
| Learner wants a cookie | Learner says, “I want a cookie, please.” | Learner gets a cookie |
| Learner wants a drink | Learner performs the sign for drink | Learner receives a drink |
| Learner wants a red marker | Learner uses AAC and says, “can I have a red marker? | Learner receives a red marker |
The tact operant involves labeling or describing objects, actions, or events in the environment. It is the ability to attach language to the things we see, hear, touch, taste, or smell. Tacting allows individuals to share information, initiate conversations, and demonstrate their understanding of the world. For instance, when a child says, “That’s a red ball,” or describes the taste of an apple, they are engaging in tacting behavior.
Tacts occur following a non-verbal stimulus and are reinforced by something other than the stimuli that served as the SD. There is no motivation for the stimuli tacted.
| Antecedent | Behavior | Consequence |
|---|---|---|
| The learner experiences something with their senses | The tact | Something other than the stimuli |
| Learner sees a dog | Learner says “dog” | Learner receives the attention of an adult who says, “yes! That is a dog!” |
| Learner smells a cookie that just came out of the oven | Learner says, “I smell cookies.” | The listener says, “you do! I just took them out of the oven.” |
| Learner tastes a lemon | Learner uses AAC and says, “lemon sour” | The listener says, “oh, do you like it?” |
| Learner sees a sunset | Learner signs beautiful sunset | The listener says, “it is a beautiful sunset!” |
The echoic operant involves repeating or imitating the words or sounds produced by another person. It focuses on auditory discrimination and vocal imitation. Echoics are important for developing speech and language skills. For example, when a teacher says, “Say ‘hello,'” and a child responds by repeating the word, they are demonstrating echoic behavior. Echoic training helps individuals acquire new words, improve pronunciation, and expand their vocabulary.
The SD for an echoic is someone else’s verbal behavior. This could be in-person or even on-screen in the form of a video. Again, the reinforcer is always something other than the SD. The response for the echoic has point-to-point correspondence with the SD (i.e. it’s the same as the SD).
| Antecedent | Behavior | Consequence |
|---|---|---|
| The learner hears someone else’s verbal behavior | Expresses the same verbal behavior (with point-to-point correspondence) | Something other than the stimuli |
| Learner hears his mother say, “dog” | Learner says, “dog” | Learner receives his mother’s attention with a kiss on the cheek |
| Learner hears the teacher say, “apple” | Learner says, “apple” | Learner receives the attention of the teacher who tickles him and says, “Yes!” |
| Learner hears another child say, “moo” | Learner says, “moo” | The learner receives the attention of his peer who laughs |
| Learner hears a phone number spoken out loud “555-555-5555” | Learner says, “555-555-5555” | The listener says, “yes, that’s right” |
The intraverbal operant involves responding to another person’s verbal behavior without a direct physical or visual stimulus. It includes answering questions, engaging in conversations, and filling in missing parts of sentences. Intraverbals allow individuals to have meaningful exchanges and participate in social interactions. For instance, when asked, “What did you do on the weekend?” and responding with, “I went to the park,” it demonstrates intraverbal behavior.
Take a look at these examples of intraverbals. The SD for an intraverbal is someone else’s verbal behavior, like the echoic, but the behavior does not have point-to-point correspondence (i.e. it’s not the same as the SD).
| Antecedent | Behavior | Consequence |
|---|---|---|
| The learner hears someone else’s verbal behavior | Makes a verbal response that is different than the SD | Something other than the stimuli |
| Learner hears his mother say, “woof says the…” | Learner says, “dog” | Learner receives his mother’s attention with a kiss on the cheek |
| Learner hears the teacher say, “what do you eat?” | Learner makes the sign for apple | Learner receives the attention of the teacher who tickles him and says, “Yes!” |
| Another child say, “what’s your favorite movie?” | Learner says, “Little Mermaid” | The learner receives the attention of his peer who says, “mine too!” |
| Teacher says, “what comes after Monday?” | Learner uses AAC to say, “Tuesday” | The listener says, “yes, that’s right” |
The textual operant refers to the ability to read or recognize written words. It involves connecting symbols (letters, words, or sentences) to their corresponding meanings. Textual behavior enables individuals to comprehend written information, follow instructions, and engage in independent reading. For example, when a child reads a sentence in a book or recognizes road signs, they are demonstrating textual behavior.
| Antecedent | Behavior | Consequence |
|---|---|---|
| The learner sees words | Expresses the same verbal behavior (with point-to-point correspondence but without formal similarity) | Something other than the stimuli |
| Learner sees the word d-o-g in a book | Learner says, “dog” | Learner receives his mother’s attention with a kiss on the cheek |
| Learner sees the word a-p-p-l-e on a sign at the grocery store | Learner makes the sign for apple | Learner receives the attention of his father who says, “Yes!” |
| Another child writes the words “Little Mermaid” | Learner says, “Little Mermaid” | The learner receives the attention of his peer who says, “I love that one!” |
| Teacher writes the sentence, “The sun was shining brightly in the clear blue sky.” | Learner uses AAC to say, “The sun was shining brightly in the clear blue sky.” | The teacher says, “yes, that’s right” |
The transcription operant involves writing or spelling words or sentences based on auditory or visual stimuli. It focuses on translating spoken or written language into written form. Transcription skills are essential for written communication and academic success. For instance, when a student writes down dictated sentences or spells words correctly, they are engaging in transcription behavior. Transcription training helps individuals develop writing skills, spelling proficiency, and the ability to compose written messages.
| Antecedent | Behavior | Consequence |
|---|---|---|
| The learner hears or sees words | Writes words (with point-to-point correspondence) | Something other than the stimuli |
| Learner sees the word d-o-g in a book | Learner writes dog on the chalkboard | Learner receives his mother’s attention with a kiss on the cheek |
| Learner sees the word a-p-p-l-e on a sign at the grocery store | Learner writes the word apple on a piece of paper | Learner receives the attention of his father who says, “Yes!” |
| Another child writes the words “Little Mermaid” on their notebook | Learner also writes Little Mermaid on their notebook | The learner receives the attention of his peer who says, “That’s my favorite movie!” |
| Teacher writes the sentence, “The sun was shining brightly in the clear blue sky.” | Learner writes the sentence “The sun was shining brightly in the clear blue sky” on their homework assignment | The teacher says, “yes, that’s right” |
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Each verbal operant serves a different function. Responses that are topographically similar may serve different functions. For example, if a child sees a dog and says “dog” but does not want want the dog then it’s a tact. If the child wants you to give him the dog (or bring the dog closer to pet the dog), that’s a mand. Take a look at the video below.
Amelia Dalphonse is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). She achieved her Master’s in ABA from Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. Her passion is helping children with autism and those who live and work with them. She has worked in this field since 2009 and strives to change the field of ABA to better respect the rights of the individual.
