ABAT Verbal Behavior 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which verbal operant is defined as a verbal behavior evoked by a motivating operation and reinforced by a specific consequence mediated by a listener?
- Tact
- Mand (Correct answer)
- Intraverbal
- Echoic
Correct answer: Mand
A mand is controlled by a motivating operation and produces specific reinforcement directly related to the current need or want of the speaker.
Question 2: A child sees a picture of a cat and says 'cat.' This exemplifies which verbal operant?
- Mand
- Echoic
- Tact (Correct answer)
- Intraverbal
Correct answer: Tact
A tact is a verbal operant controlled by a nonverbal stimulus (the picture of a cat) and maintained by generalized conditioned reinforcement from the listener.
Question 3: When a learner repeats exactly what a trainer says with point-to-point correspondence, this is called a(n):
- Intraverbal
- Tact
- Mand
- Echoic (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Echoic
An echoic is a verbal operant where the response formally resembles (has point-to-point correspondence with) the verbal stimulus that evoked it.
Question 4: Which verbal operant is evoked by a verbal stimulus but does NOT share point-to-point correspondence with that stimulus?
- Echoic
- Textual
- Intraverbal (Correct answer)
- Transcription
Correct answer: Intraverbal
An intraverbal is a verbal response evoked by another verbal stimulus, but the response does not match or correspond point-to-point with the evoking stimulus.
Question 5: B.F. Skinner's foundational analysis of verbal behavior was published in which year?
- 1938
- 1953
- 1957 (Correct answer)
- 1968
Correct answer: 1957
Skinner published 'Verbal Behavior' in 1957, providing a functional analysis of language based on operant conditioning principles.
Question 6: A thirsty child says 'water' to their parent. This verbal behavior is best classified as a:
- Tact
- Intraverbal
- Mand (Correct answer)
- Echoic
Correct answer: Mand
This is a mand because the response is controlled by a motivating operation (thirst/water deprivation) and is reinforced by the specific item requested (water).
Question 7: Which verbal operant involves reading written text aloud, where the written word controls the spoken response?
- Echoic
- Textual (Correct answer)
- Intraverbal
- Transcription
Correct answer: Textual
A textual response is a verbal operant evoked by a written verbal stimulus and requires point-to-point correspondence between the written and spoken word.
ABAT Verbal Behavior 1
Which verbal operant is defined as a verbal behavior evoked by a motivating operation and reinforced by a specific consequence mediated by a listener?