Much ado about nothing? Some comments on B. F. Skinner’s definition of verbal behavior
Document Type
Article
Publication Title
Behavior Analyst
Department
Psychology
ISSN
0738-6729
Volume
32
Issue
1
DOI
10.1007/BF03392182
First Page
185
Last Page
190
Publication Date
4-1-2009
Abstract
Some have suggested that the definition of verbal behavior offered by B. F. Skinner (1957) fails to capture the essence of language insofar as it is too broad and not functional. In this paper, I argue that the ambiguities of Skinner’s definition are not an indictment of it, and that suggestions to the contrary are problematic because they suffer a critical error of scientific reasoning. Specifically, I argue that (a) no clear definition of verbal behavior is possible because there is no natural distinction between verbal and nonverbal behavior; (b) attempts at an immutable definition are essentialistic; and (c) Skinner’s functional taxonomy of language is in no way affected by the particulars of any definition of verbal behavior.
Recommended Citation
Normand, M. P.
(2009).
Much ado about nothing? Some comments on B. F. Skinner’s definition of verbal behavior.
Behavior Analyst, 32(1), 185–190.
DOI: 10.1007/BF03392182
https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/cop-facarticles/253
