Verbal Behavior

In 'Verbal Behavior,' B.F.

Skinner presents a detailed functional analysis of verbal behavior, arguing that it can be understood through the principles of operant conditioning.

The book, which took over twenty years to complete, was prompted by a challenge from philosopher Alfred North Whitehead to explain verbal behavior within a behaviorist framework.

Skinner introduces several key concepts, including mands, tacts, autoclitics, and other operants, to describe how verbal behavior is controlled by environmental factors such as stimuli and reinforcement.

He illustrates his thesis with examples from literature, the arts, and sciences, as well as from his own experiences and those of his colleagues and children.

The book is divided into five parts and nineteen chapters, providing a thorough examination of verbal behavior without reference to hypothetical mental structures.