Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Words Are Not Things

  • Published:
The Analysis of Verbal Behavior Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

On a traditional view, words are the fundamental units of verbal behavior. They are independent, autonomous things that symbolically represent or refer to other independent, autonomous things, often in some other dimension. Ascertaining what those other things are constitutes determining the meaning of a word. On a behavior-analytic view, verbal behavior is ongoing, functional operant activity occasioned by antecedent factors and reinforced by its consequences, particularly consequences that are mediated by other members of the same verbal community. Functional relations rather than structure select the response unit. The behavior-analytic point of view clarifies such important contemporary issues in psychology as (a) the role of scientific theories and explanations, (b) educational practices, and (c) equivalence classes, so that there is no risk of strengthening the traditional view that words are things that symbolically represent other things.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Baer, D. M., Peterson, R. F., & Sherman, J. A. (1967). The development of imitation by reinforcing behavioral similarity to a model. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 10, 405–416.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Barnes, D. (1994). Stimulus equivalence and relational frame theory. Psychological Record, 44, 91–124.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barnes-Holmes, D., & Barnes-Holmes, Y. (2000). Explaining complex behavior: Two perspectives on the concept of generalized operant classes. Psychological Record, 50, 251–265.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barnes-Holmes, D., Barnes-Holmes, Y., & Cullinan, V. (2000). Relational frame theory and Skinner’s Verbal Behavior: A possible synthesis. The Behavior Analyst, 23, 69–84.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Bloom, B. S. (Ed.). (1956). Taxonomy of educational objectives. New York: David Mackay.

    Google Scholar 

  • Catania, A. C. (1986). On the difference between verbal and nonverbal behavior. The Analysis of Verbal Behavior, 4, 2–9.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Day, W. E, Jr. (1969). Radical behaviorism in reconciliation with phenomenology. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 12, 315–328.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Dougher, M. J., Augustson, E., Markham, M. R., Greenway, D. E., & Wulfert, E. (1994). Transfer of respondent eliciting and extinction functions through stimulus equivalence classes. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 62, 331–351.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Hall, G., & Chase, P. N. (1991). The relationship between stimulus equivalence and verbal behavior. The Analysis of Verbal Behavior, 9, 109–117.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hayes, S. C. (1994). Relational frame theory: A functional approach to verbal events. In S. C. Hayes, L. J. Hayes, M. Sato, & K. Ono (Eds.), Behavior analysis of language and cognition (pp. 9–30). Reno, NV: Context Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hayes, S., & Wilson, K. (1994). Acceptance and commitment therapy: Undermining the verbal support for experiential avoidance. The Behavior Analyst, 17, 289–303.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Hempel, C. G., & Oppenheim, P. (1948). Studies in the logic of explanation. Philosophy of Science, 15, 135–175.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hergenhahn, B. R., & Olson, M. H. (1997). An introduction to theories of learning (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kantor, J. R. (1938). The operational principle in the physical and psychological sciences. Psychological Record, 2, 1–32.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kantor, J. R. (1945). Psychology and logic (Vol. 1). Bloomington, IN: Principia Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Leigland, S. (1997). Is a new definition of verbal behavior necessary in light of derived relational responding? The Behavior Analyst, 20, 3–9.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Moore, J. (1981). On mentalism, methodological behaviorism, and radical behaviorism. Behaviorism, 9, 55–77.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moore, J. (1990). On mentalism, privacy, and behaviorism. Journal of Mind and Behavior, 11, 19–36.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moore, J. (1998). On behaviorism, theories, and hypothetical constructs. Journal of Mind and Behavior, 19, 215–242.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moore, J. (2000). Varieties of scientific explanation. The Behavior Analyst, 23, 173–190.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Parsons, H. M. (1989). Lying. The Analysis of Verbal Behavior, 7, 43–47.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Place, U. T. (1981a). Skinner’s Verbal Behavior I: Why we need it. Behaviorism, 9, 1–24.

    Google Scholar 

  • Place, U. T. (1981b). Skinner’s Verbal Behavior II: What is wrong with it. Behaviorism, 9, 131–152.

    Google Scholar 

  • Place, U. T. (1982). Skinner’s Verbal Behavior III: How to improve Parts I and II. Behaviorism, 10, 117–136.

    Google Scholar 

  • Place, U. T. (1983). Skinner’s Verbal Behavior IV: How to improve Part IV—Skinner’s account of syntax. Behaviorism, 11, 163–186.

    Google Scholar 

  • Poulson, C. L., & Kymissis, E. (1988). Generalized imitation in infants. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 46, 324–336.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schlinger, H. D., Jr. (1993). Separating discriminative and function-altering effects of verbal stimuli. The Behavior Analyst, 16, 9–23.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Schnaitter, R. (1999). Some criticisms of behaviorism. In B. A. Thyer (Ed.), The philosophical legacy of behaviorism (pp. 209–249). Dordrecht, Netherlands: Kluwer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Schusterman, R. J., & Kastak, D. (1993). A California sea lion (Zalophus californianus) is capable of forming equivalence relations. Psychological Record, 43, 823–839.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sidman, M. (1990). Equivalence relations: Where do they come from? In D. E. Blackman & H. Lejeune (Eds.), Behaviour analysis in theory and practice: Contributions and controversies (pp. 93–114). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Skinner, B. F. (1945). The operational analysis of psychological terms. Psychological Review, 52, 270–277, 291–294.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Skinner, B. F. (1953). Science and human behavior. New York: Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Skinner, B. F. (1964). Behaviorism at fifty. In T. W. Wann (Ed.), Behaviorism and phenomenology (pp. 79–108). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Skinner, B. F (1969). Contingencies of reinforcement. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts.

    Google Scholar 

  • Skinner, B. F (1974). About behaviorism. New York: Knopf.

    Google Scholar 

  • Skinner, B. F (1978). Reflections on behavior and society. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts.

    Google Scholar 

  • Skinner, B. F (1986). The evolution of verbal behavior. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 45, 115–122.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Skinner, B. F (1989). Recent issues in the analysis of behavior. Columbus, OH: Merrill.

    Google Scholar 

  • Steele, D., & Hayes, S. C. (1991). Stimulus equivalence and arbitrarily applicable relational responding. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 56, 519–555.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Sundberg, M., & Michael, J. (1983). A response to U. T. Place. The Analysis of Verbal Behavior, 2, 13–17.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Terrell, D. J., & Johnston, J. M. (1989). Logic, reasoning, and verbal behavior. The Behavior Analyst, 12, 1–6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Whitehead, A. N., & Russell, B. (1913). Principia mathematica. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, K., & Hayes, S. C. (2000). Why it is crucial to understand thinking and feeling: An analysis and application to drug abuse. The Behavior Analyst, 23, 25–43.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Wittgenstein, L. (1974). Tractatus logico-philosophicus. New York: Routledge. (Original work published 1922; D. F Pears and B. F McGuiness, trans.)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 53201, USA

    J. Moore

Authors
  1. J. Moore
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to J. Moore.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Moore, J. Words Are Not Things. Analysis Verbal Behav 17, 143–160 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03392961

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03392961

Search

Navigation