Verbal Behavior

by B.F. Skinner, Jullie S. Vargas (Editor)

ABOUT THE In 1934, at the age of 30, B. F. Skinner found himself at a dinner sitting next to Professor Alfred North Whitehead. Never one to lose an opportunity to promote behaviorism, Skinner expounded its main tenets to the distinguished philosopher. Whitehead acknowledged that science might account for most of human behavior but he would not include verbal behavior. He ended the discussion with a "Let me see you," he said, "account for my behaviour as I sit here saying, 'No black scorpion is falling upon this table.'" The next morning Skinner began this book. It took him over twenty years to complete. The book extends the laboratory-based principles of selection by consequences to account for what people say, write, gesture, and think. Skinner argues that verbal behavior requires a separate analysis because it does not operate on the environment directly, but rather through the behavior of other people in a verbal community. He illustrates his thesis with examples from literature, the arts, and the sciences, as well as from his own verbal behavior and that of his colleagues and children. Perhaps it is because this theoretical work provides a way to approach that most human of human behavior that Skinner often called Verbal Behavior his most important work. Published originally in 1957. Reprinted by the B. F. Skinner Foundation in 1992 and 2002. This book is from the Official B. F. Skinner Foundation Reprint Series (paperback edition).

Genres: Psychology, Linguistics, Philosophy, Science, Textbooks, Nonfiction, Language

478 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1957

About the author

Burrhus Frederic Skinner was a highly influential American psychologist, author, inventor, advocate for social reform and poet. He was the Edgar Pierce Professor of Psychology at Harvard University from 1958 until his retirement in 1974. He invented the operant conditioning chamber, innovated his own philosophy of science called Radical Behaviorism, and founded his own school of experimental research psychology—the experimental analysis of behavior. His analysis of human behavior culminated in his work Verbal Behavior, which has recently seen enormous increase in interest experimentally and in applied settings. He discovered and advanced the rate of response as a dependent variable in psychological research. He invented the cumulative recorder to measure rate of responding as part of his highly influential work on schedules of reinforcement. In a recent survey, Skinner was listed as the most influential psychologist of the 20th century. He was a prolific author, publishing 21 books and 180 articles.

Reviews

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was Skinner's most audacious move. He took up the challenge from A.N. Whitehead to try and explain verbal behavior. Not a bad try at the time, given the theoretical framework available in the 1950's. We're a bit further down the road now. I'd make this comparison: "Verbal Behavior" is to verbal behavior as "The Origin of Species" is to contemporary genetics, if you know what I mean...

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good luck.

[Steve]

Through these pages I was quickly introduced to the complexity of our language and, therefore, immediately wondered about the future for all this talk of artificial intelligence. It may happen one day, though after reading this book, I highly doubt it will be in my lifetime. Through our language, we own an incredible diversity of meaning associated with any single word, let alone an entire sentence; there’s much in the delivery. Since a computer is an inanimate machine, Professor Skinner’s remark that “An account of verbal behavior is not complete until its relation to the rest of the behavior of the organism has been made clear” suggests difficulties, if not impossibilities, ahead for AI. I also had a rhetorical thought: why engage in anything other than transactional speech? Why say anything other than the bare minimum and in the most monosyllabic voice? I suspect because we’re wired to a degree that may defy mechanical reproduction and that is a good thing. We want to receive and deliver zest.

As with most of my academic readings, I found some difficulty engaging with much of this work. Fortunately, Professor Skinner’s reflections on Shakespeare, Tolstoy, Trollope, Coleridge, Dickens, et al. resuscitated my consciousness in spurts. And then there was Sigmund Freud . . . again. Much of Professor Skinner’s analysis incorporated concepts like mand (think words like command, demand, countermand), tact (think words that make contact with the physical world), the autoclitic (think extensions and conditional language offered by speaker), and echoic behavior. I wonder how Professor Skinner’s framework has matured through the past 65 years, though I confess I doubt I have the energy to investigate that question further.

[Mattw · Rating 5 out of 5]

A seminal work. Really. Half a century later, the concepts in this book are the bedrock of some of the most empirically-validated approaches to teaching language to children diagnosed with autism. A radically different way to think about how and why we talk -- but also confusing and dry.

[Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a difficult read, which requires full commitment (e.g., re-reading, note-taking). If you're interested in ABA and verbal behavior, however, it's a must read.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

First off, I’m in the midst of becoming a behavior analyst so I have a very positive view of BF Skinner. With that said, this is a very important and interesting, albeit a bit dry, read for my profession. Quite frankly, it both fascinated and confused me. I definitely learned some things and will probably reference it throughout my career.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A difficult read that requires commitment to finishing. However, unbeatable in every way. A wonderful theoretical case for how verbal behavior develops and how it is maintained.

[Mario · Rating 5 out of 5]

My fucking god.

Congratulations to the Darwin of Psychology and good luck to anyone trying to understand all this (I couldn’t), or, as Skinner would say, to behave as the writer would under the same or similar set of circumstances presented in this essay.

Reach out to me if you need 50+ pages of pure delirium and nonsense (or should I say unedited verbal behavior due to my improper actions as a listener and weak relation to the controlling variables...) about this book.

[Liam Porter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Theoretically impoverished as it is, this is an imposing work of surprising erudition, depth and clarity.

[Ian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Skinner...I love you man, but your writing style wasn't the best. The next time someone tells you psychology is an easy major, make them read this book!

[Kaylie · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's difficult to rate a book such as this because I hated it so much but was forced to read it for my graduate program. Skinner himself basically wrote a long-winded dissertation but provided no data to support his findings, which irked me to no end. He did create verbiage still used in many fields of psychology, so while this book is dry and boring, I understand its importance and historical place in the field.

[Ariel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I understand how important this book is for the field of behavior analysis, specifically in relation to verbal behavior. I appreciate that aspect. That being said, Skinner talks himself in circles. He really could have used an editor to tell him when he was rambling.

[Mallory Sibley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Had to reread these chapters a few times before it all sank in. Good luck.

[TommyLovesEli · Rating 5 out of 5]

DO YOU WANT TO UNDERSTAND HUMANS scientifically?

You need to read this book.

Aside from the Bible, it is the most amazing book that exists.

[Tiffany · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read for a class...I like the application of this theory. VERY hard to read!! It's a completely different language!!!

[Olivia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I only give it three stars because a lot of it went over my head. It is a dense book, but not in a bad way. I want to reread it soon and also re-rate it after I finish it.