Welcome!

This blog represents an attempt to explain the basics of the theory of behaviorism as it relates to language. This will be done by focusing on B. F. Skinner and his work on both operant conditioning and verbal behavior. For some background on Skinner, review the video, "B.F. Skinner: A Fresh Appraisal", which can be found below. Thanks for visiting and we hope that as you read and review this site, you will learn more about our topic.

Historical Context / Significant Contributions

The behaviorist theory evolved with Skinner. Skinner was influenced by the likes of J.B Watson and other pioneers in the field like Ivan Pavlov and Edward Thorndike. Pierce and Cheney (2004) state that J.B. Watson discussed his ideas on “stimulus-response psychology which he based his theory on Pavlov’s conditioning experiments” (p. 5). In other words, there was an event and reaction to things. In addition, Smith and Woodward (1996) add that Watson “claim[ed] that the theoretical aim of psychology should be the prediction and control behavior, not its explanation” (p. 153). Here is where Skinner begins to move away from Watson’s idea and establishes a newer thinking on behaviorism. Pierce and Cheney (2004) add that “B.F Skinner viewed psychology as the study of the behavior of organisms” (p. 5). He analyzed how organisms interacted with their environment. Furthermore, Pierce and Cheney (2004) state, he made a “distinction between two types of conditioning reflex, corresponding to the difference between operant and respondent behavior. . . . The basic idea is that an individual emits behavior that produces effects, consequences, or outcomes” (p. 7). Therefore, his theory looks at behaviorism as the interaction between an individual organism and its environment.

Skinner is the father of operant conditioning. Pierce and Cheney (2004) add, “Operant conditioning is the regulation of behavior by its consequences. . . . Any behavior that operates on the environment to produce an effect is called operant” (p. 4). For example, a mother (stimulus) looks at her baby. The baby interacts with the mother by smiling (operant). The mother picks up the baby (reinforcement). The child learned that when he/she smiles, the mother will most likely pick him/her up.

Skinner believed that language was verbal behavior. Owens (2005) adds that Skinner defined it as a “learned behavior like any other, subject to all rules of operant conditioning. As such, verbal behavior is modified by the environment” (p. 32). Skinner believed that how the child interacted with its environment would greatly reinforce her or his language. It is important to note that there needs to be reinforcement, whether it is positive or negative, to learn language. Skinner (1974) stated that there are “three terms which appear in the contingencies of reinforcement generating an operant [and] divided between two people: the speaker responds to the setting and the listener engages in the behavior and is affected by the consequences” (p. 101). Children would develop language through modeling of a parent and the interaction with people in the environment such as in school with their peers and daily activities. Skinner created names for different types of stimuli that presented themselves to develop language; these were metaphor, abstraction, and concepts. Again, his theory was not on how language developed as a linguist might study but how the interaction with the environment helped to develop language.

Explanation

As a theory, behaviorism argues that language is a specialized type of behavior. Behavioral psychologist B. F. Skinner (1957) is credited with developing the idea that language is simply “verbal behavior” that one can learn. Owens (2005) states that Skinner was “the most widely known proponent of language as a learned behavior . . .” (p. 33).

In this theory, language is learned or operant as is any other behavior. Human beings are conditioned as they make connections between various stimuli and responses. Learning or operant conditioning occurs as a change takes place in a person’s behavior as a result of response to a particular stimulus. Reinforcement and punishment come into play here as reinforcement results in a certain behavior being repeated because of the positive feedback one receives as a result of producing said behavior. Conversely, punishment involves a discontinuance of a behavior because of the negative consequence associated with that behavior (Owens, 2005). See the graphic above for additional information (Owens, 2005, p. 34).

Language is learned through the environment, as the learner interacts with both her or his surroundings and the individuals in it. Chaining or shaping causes this learning to happen. Chaining occurs when one behavior is a stimulus for the next behavior. Shaping occurs when one behavior is either reinforced or curtailed and made closer by individuals and the environment to what the behavior is supposed to be (Owens, 2005).

Parents begin the process of operant conditioning with their newborn children by modeling the native language spoken by the family. Sounds, words, and later sentences are imitated by children and those imitations are made closer to standard form by what Skinner called “successive approximation” (Owens, 2005, p. 34). The form of the language comes closer and closer to standard with practice while increased reinforcement pushes children to imitate the model of the standard speaker of the language as closely as possible. Forms that are not standard and appropriate are not reinforced and therefore disappear over time in a process known as “extinction” (Owens, 2005, p. 34).

Owens (2005) continues by stating “the ‘how’ of language use takes precedence over the ‘what’ of language form” (p. 34). In other words, function takes precedence over form. Language, as a behavior then, is performed and each performance demonstrates a particular function of language. There are five kinds of these functions: mand, echoic, intraverbal, tact, and autoclitic. A mand is basically a request while echoic language echoes or imitates what has been said. Intraverbal relates to conversation while tact has to do with naming. Autoclitic behavior involves thinking, word order, and grammar.

Something else to note is that this framework of modeling, imitation, practice, and reinforcement that has been discussed here has been adopted by many special educators, particularly those working with children with autism. The framework has been helpful to educators in the provision of a common vocabulary to use when talking about children’s language and in the actual language instruction of children with special needs (Frost & Bondy, 2006).

In conclusion, it is important to note that in verbal behavior, language, from sounds to sentences, is developed in children through the use of modeling, imitation, practice, and reinforcement. Rules per se are not taught. Nothing is innate. All language learning occurs as a result of interaction with individuals in the environment.

Examples of Application to Language

“Applied behavior analysis (ABA) is a science concerned with the behavior of people, what people do and say, and the behavior of animals. It attempts to understand, explain, describe, and predict behavior” (Sloan, 1992, para. 1). An applied behavior analysis approach helps autistic children to learn through positive reinforcement. Green (1997) states: “the overall goal is to help each learner develop skills that will enable him or her to be as independent and successful as possible in the long run” (para. 4).

How do they do it? Green (1997) explains:

Selection of treatment goals for each individual is guided by data from [an] initial assessment, and a curriculum scope and sequence that lists skills in all domains (learning to learn, communicate, social, academic, self-care, motor, play and leisure, etc.) broken into smaller component skills and sequenced developmentally, or from simple to complex. The goal is to help each learner develop skills that will enable him or her to be as independent and successful as possible (para. 4).

Children are instructed in accordance with specific goals and are rewarded with positive reinforcement. Behaviorism teaches language by means of communication and academics. The teacher must use data to direct her or his instruction and meet specific needs for each individual child.

In summary, behaviorist theory is being applied to a degree in this approach. This approach can be an effective one in teaching with the proper training.

Limitations

There are limitations with regards to the theory of behaviorism as it concerns language acquisition and development. Owens (2005) states that the chief opponent to Skinner and his theory is Chomsky. Chomsky, an important psycholinguistic theorist, is responsible for formulating the limitations that will be discussed. This argument took place in the form of a book review published in 1959 when Chomsky reviewed Skinner’s (1957) text, Verbal Behavior.

The first limitation has to do with reinforcement. It is not physically possible for every piece of language spoken by a child to be reinforced (positively or negatively) by an adult. How can a child acquire and develop enough language then when the cycle of modeling, imitation, practice, and reinforcement is not constantly occurring?

Another limitation is related to the first. Imitation has to do with the copying of an adult model. What if that adult model is one of less than ideal speech? How is a child supposed to copy a model that is marked with various types of linguistic issues?

Syntactic or grammatical development is also an issue. A child would not hear every possible form of a word and possible order of words in a sentence from a model speaker of the home language. How then would a child have the ability to use words in multiple forms and compose sentences of varying lengths and complexities? There is also the issue of previously unspoken language. How can the introduction of new language be explained when a child speaks something novel, previously unspoken by someone in the child’s verbal language community? In addition, children utter language not used at all by adults. If all language is operant or learned, how can this be explained?

Finally, content or form as opposed to function is an issue too. Skinner discusses function to a large extent but content as form is ignored. It does not seem to matter what is being said, just how it is being said. In addition, content here also has to do with underlying meaning and what a child knows already in relation to a speech act (background or prior knowledge). This knowledge seems immaterial to Skinner. Would a child not take into account what she or he already knows when verbalizing with another? Could not that verbalization create new knowledge that could be used in a continuance of the conversation?

A consideration of the questions listed above most likely will result in some confusion over the usefulness of behaviorist theory to explain the acquisition and development of language in children. Something is definitely missing here. See the “Reactions” section for more on this discussion.

Samples of Writing

“Relatively late in its history, the human species underwent a remarkable change: its vocal musculature came under operant control. Like other species, it had up to that point displayed warning cries, threatening shouts, and other innate responses, but vocal operant behavior made a great difference because it extended the scope of the social environment. Language was born, and with it many important characteristics of human behavior for which a host of mentalistic explanations have been invented” (Skinner, 1974, p. 98).

This quote represents the opening paragraph of Chapter 6, “Verbal Behavior” in Skinner’s About Behaviorism, published in 1974. Here, Skinner begins to discuss the impact that language, under the control of the user, has had on the human species. He also introduces the notion of the social environment, which of course plays a significant role in how language is acquired and developed under behaviorist theory.


“A great deal has been made of the fact that a child will ‘invent’ a weak past tense for a strong verb, as in saying ‘he goed’ instead of ‘he went.’ If he has never heard the form ‘goed’ (that is, if he has associated only with adults), he must have created a new form. But we do not speak of ‘creation’ if, having acquired a list of color words and a list of object words, he for the first time says ‘purple automobile.’ The fact that the terminal ‘-ed’ suggests ‘grammar’ is unnecessarily exciting. It is quite possible that it is a separable operant, as a separate indicator of the past tense or of completed action in another language might be, and that ‘go’ and a terminal ‘-ed’ are put together, as ‘purple’ and ‘automobile’ are put together, on a novel occasion. The so-called creative aspect of verbal behavior will be mentioned again later” (Skinner, 1974, p. 112).

This quote closes the chapter mentioned above. It corresponds nicely with what was discussed in the “Limitations” section in that Skinner does not seem to want to acknowledge that any part of language learning is based on rules, which is something Chomsky wrote about in relation to Skinner and Chomsky’s issues with verbal behavior as a part of behavioral theory (Chomsky, 1959). A child who says “goed” does seem to be following a rule. It could be that the two word parts (go plus –ed) are being arbitrarily put together as Skinner suggests above. But how likely is this to occur as a spontaneous speech act? It does not seem too likely at all. More likely is that the child is following a rule about the past tense that has been learned through exposure and experience. Skinner, writing this after Chomsky’s review, may have felt the need to address the aforementioned limitation but it seems like he needs to do better than the explanation given above.

Reactions - Andrew

This work has left me wanting to know more about behaviorism and verbal behavior but also much more about language acquisition and development. I feel like I have only the beginnings of an understanding of what Skinner posits and even if others like Chomsky disagree with what Skinner has to offer, I think that it is important to know this information as a part of the history behind language acquisition and development and as background to what we know and where we are at with these topics today.

One significant question that I have involves what is called “applied verbal behavior” and its counterpart, “applied behavior analysis.” I have found a fair amount of research on these two processes and how they were born out of Skinner’s and others’ work in behavioral theory. I have included two videos below that give some explanation of these processes along with two links to web sites where you can find additional information. The speech and language pathologist at my school, who is currently out on maternity leave, will return later this month and I plan on asking her for more information on these topics as well.

I hope to be able to better place my work on behaviorism and Skinner in context when I review the virtual presentations of my class colleagues. Another of my questions involves the greater context for all of the theories and theorists being studied by our class. I would like to learn more about each and how one complements another or does not as the case may be.

Based on what I know about language acquisition and development so far, it seems to be that there is much more at work to acquiring and learning a language than just our behavior as it interacts with and relates to the environment. There would seem to be a necessary cognitive piece that is both innate and able to evolve and grow. Skinner and behaviorism turned out to be a good place to begin my exploration of language acquisition and development as it may be the easiest theory to view in action since parts of it can be observed in the real world. I look forward to reviewing the other presentations and consequently learning more about language acquisition and developmental theory.

"Working with Autistic Children Using Scientifically Proven ABA-Verbal Behavior"



"Introduction to Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)"

Web sites:

"Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies"

"Verbal Behavior Institute"

Reactions - Alejandra

I struggled understanding how language develops through interactions with the environment. I can see the beginning stages of how a baby develops language through modeling and interacting of the parent. I can see how positive and negative reinforcement can help children associate correct usage of words. However, he missed, in my opinion, the point of the development of language structure and grammar and the cognitive development of language and its structure. I feel the theory works up to a certain point in language development.

I feel that perhaps more attention should be focused on verbal behavior in regards to language. There should be more studies done to support research and findings to make a connection in not only learning by interacting with the environment but how does it affect the cognitive process. What is the brain doing as it is learning language through behavior?

References

Chomsky, N. (1959). A review of B. F. Skinner’s “verbal behavior”. Language, 35(1), 26-58.

Frost, L., & Bondy, A. (2006). A common language: Using B.F. Skinner’s verbal behavior for assessment and treatment of communication disabilities in SLP-ABA. Journal of Speech-Language Pathology and Applied Behavior Analysis, 1(2), 103-110.

Green, G. (1997). Applied behavior analysis for autism. Retrieved February 15, 2010, from Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies Web site: http://www.behavior.org/vb/index.cfm

Owens, R. (2005). Language development (6th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Pierce, W. D., & Cheney, C. D. (2004). Behavior analysis and learning (3rd ed.). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Skinner, B. F. (1957). Verbal behavior. New York, NY: Appleton-Century-Crofts.

Skinner, B. F. (1974). About behaviorism. New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf.

Sloan, H. (1992). Behavior analysis: What is behavior analysis? Retrieved February 15, 2010, from Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies Web site: http://www.behavior.org/vb/index.cfm

Smith, L. D., & Woodward, W. R. (Eds.). (1996). B.F. Skinner and behaviorism in American culture. Cranbury, NJ: Associated University Press.