Refining the tact: Essential features of a useful repertoire

Document Type

Conference Presentation

Department

Psychology

Conference Title

Annual Meeting of the Association for Behavior Analysis

Organization

Association for Behavior Analysis

Location

Boston, MA

Conference Dates

May 28- June 1, 2004

Date of Presentation

5-29-2004

Abstract

This paper is an attempt to expand on one area of Skinner’s (1957) analysis. In Verbal Behavior, Skinner introduced the tact as the most important of the elementary verbal operants and discussed the critical features of the tact at great length. However, many of the points that Skinner addressed have not found their way into the current applied and conceptual literature. This paper will re-examine the basic elements of the tact and a distinction will be made between the tact as an elementary operant and the tact in the context of a useful repertoire. Specifically, the most common sources of supplemental control responsible for the occurrence of the tact will be considered with the implications for language training discussed.

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