Which verbal operant is characterized by requesting or demanding something under the control of a motivating operation?

Which verbal operant is characterized by requesting or demanding something under the control of a motivating operation?

• A. Echoic
• B. Intraverbal
• C. Tact
• D. Mand

Answer: (D)

A mand is a verbal behavior that arises when a motivating operation makes a particular reinforcer more valuable, and the speaker issues a request to obtain that reinforcer. The MO sets up the need or desire (for example, thirst, hunger, or relief from discomfort), which evokes the speaker to say something like “I want juice” or “Can I have that?” The important part is that the response directly specifies the reinforcer—the form of the verbal request is shaped to obtain the item or action requested. Reinforcement comes when the requested reinforcer is delivered, making the behavior more likely to occur again when the MO is present. This stands in contrast to echoic, which involves repeating what was heard and is reinforced by social interaction; intraverbal, which is a response to another’s words without a direct point-to-point link to a specific object; and tact, which labels or describes something in the environment. The mand’s unique feature is its direct relationship to obtaining a specific reinforcer under the control of the motivating operation.

A mand is a verbal behavior that arises when a motivating operation makes a particular reinforcer more valuable, and the speaker issues a request to obtain that reinforcer. The MO sets up the need or desire (for example, thirst, hunger, or relief from discomfort), which evokes the speaker to say something like “I want juice” or “Can I have that?” The important part is that the response directly specifies the reinforcer—the form of the verbal request is shaped to obtain the item or action requested. Reinforcement comes when the requested reinforcer is delivered, making the behavior more likely to occur again when the MO is present.

This stands in contrast to echoic, which involves repeating what was heard and is reinforced by social interaction; intraverbal, which is a response to another’s words without a direct point-to-point link to a specific object; and tact, which labels or describes something in the environment. The mand’s unique feature is its direct relationship to obtaining a specific reinforcer under the control of the motivating operation.