February 11, 2016

February 11, 2016

Written by Maximus Peperkamp, M.S. Verbal Engineer

Dear Reader, 

In Beyond Freedom and Dignity (1971, p. 170) Skinner writes “Reciprocal control is not necessarily intentional in either direction, but it becomes so when the consequences make themselves felt.” The Noxious Verbal Behavior (NVB) speaker coerces the listener and consequently is unable to take turns with the listener. If the listener speaks at all, it is only to the extent that he or she is allowed by the NVB speaker. Naturally, when such a listener speaks, he or she will also produce NVB. By contrast, the Sound Verbal Behavior (SVB) speaker invites the listener to become a SVB speaker, which is a speaker who takes turns with the listener. A SVB speaker becomes a listener when the listener becomes the speaker. 

During SVB there is no struggle between the listener and the speaker about who is doing the speaking, for how long and about what. The NVB speaker, however, who aversively controls the listener, always elicits counter-control, that is, NVB, from the listener when this listener becomes a speaker. In SVB, the speaker regulates the listener and the listener regulates the speaker; in other words, in SVB the speaker and the listener co-regulate each other. In NVB, on the other hand, the speaker dis-regulates the listener and when the listener speaks, he or she dis-regulates the initial speaker. In NVB the speaker and the listener are in constant competition about who gets the attention. 

Struggle for attention is one of the three main characteristics of NVB. Another characteristic of NVB is that while NVB speakers demand others listen to them, they are not listening to themselves. As a consequence, the listener must strain him or herself to listen to the verbally-fixated NVB speaker. Moreover, such a verbally-carried-away NVB speaker is not aware of him or herself. He or she prevents others from paying attention to their own experience. Thus, in NVB the speaker as well as the listener remain outward or other-oriented.