Skip to main content
PMC home page
The Analysis of Verbal Behavior logoLink to The Analysis of Verbal Behavior
. 1985;3:11–18. doi: 10.1007/BF03392804

Teaching verbal behavior to pigeons

Mark L Sundberg
PMCID: PMC2748479  PMID: 22477488

Abstract

Pigeons were taught simple analogs of verbal behavior by replicating and extending the procedures presented by Michael, Whitley, and Hesse (1983). A student lab, connected to a course on the experimental analysis of behavior, was used to teach both the students and the pigeons new behavioral repertoires. Most of the 18 birds learned a simple stimulus-selection-based tact, as well as 2-3 topography-based tacts. Several pigeons learned to mand for reinforcers, and a few acquired some simple intraverbal responses. The student's learned the basic features of Skinner's analysis of verbal behavior, as well as several laboratory skills. Further work in this area is encouraged due to its potential contributions to the experimental analysis of verbal behavior, and to teaching language to the developmentally disabled, and other speech and language impaired individuals.

Full text

PDF
11

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Boe R., Winokur S. A procedure for studying echoic control in verbal behavior. J Exp Anal Behav. 1978 Sep;30(2):213–217. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1978.30-213. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Braam S. J., Poling A. Development of intraverbal behavior in mentally retarded individuals through transfer of stimulus control procedures: classification of verbal responses. Appl Res Ment Retard. 1983;4(4):279–302. doi: 10.1016/0270-3092(83)90030-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Buskist W. F., Miller H. L., Jr The analysis of human operant behavior: A brief census of the literature: 1958-1981. Behav Anal. 1982 Fall;5(2):137–141. doi: 10.1007/BF03392382. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Hake D. F. The basic-applied continuum and the possible evolution of human operant social and verbal research. Behav Anal. 1982 Spring;5(1):21–28. doi: 10.1007/BF03393137. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Halle J. W., Baer D. M., Spradlin J. E. Teachers' generalized use of delay as a stimulus control procedure to increase language use in handicapped children. J Appl Behav Anal. 1981 Winter;14(4):389–409. doi: 10.1901/jaba.1981.14-389. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Lee V. L., Pegler A. M. Effects on spelling of training children to read. J Exp Anal Behav. 1982 Mar;37(2):311–322. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1982.37-311. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Lee V. L. Prepositional phrases spoken and heard. J Exp Anal Behav. 1981 Mar;35(2):227–242. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1981.35-227. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. McPherson A., Bonem M., Green G., Osborne J. G. A citation analysis of the influence on research of Skinner's verbal behavior. Behav Anal. 1984 Fall;7(2):157–167. doi: 10.1007/BF03391898. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Michael J. Distinguishing between discriminative and motivational functions of stimuli. J Exp Anal Behav. 1982 Jan;37(1):149–155. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1982.37-149. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Michael J. Verbal behavior. J Exp Anal Behav. 1984 Nov;42(3):363–376. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1984.42-363. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Savage-Rumbaugh E. S. Verbal behavior at a procedural level in the chimpanzee. J Exp Anal Behav. 1984 Mar;41(2):223–250. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1984.41-223. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from The Analysis of verbal behavior are provided here courtesy of Association for Behavior Analysis International

RESOURCES