June 25, 2015

June 25, 2015

Written by Maximus Peperkamp, M.S. Verbal Engineer

This is the fifth response to “A Rose by Naming: How We May Learn How to Do it” by Greer and Longano (2010). 

Sound Verbal Behavior (SVB) is learned in a similar way than children learn “Naming.” SVB cannot be learned without the “rotation across listener and speaker responses.” 

"The characteristics of the learn unit were suggested in Skinner’s (1968) programmed instruction frame.” Moreover, “learn units require that a) the participant is attending to the stimulus”, which means the participant speaks and listens to his or her own voice; b) “there is an opportunity to respond” which means, the listener becomes the speaker, but can disagree or agree with the speaker and does not feel any pressure to choose one over the other; c) “correct responses are reinforced with consequences that have been shown to reinforce learning”, which means, when SVB is produced the speaker feels reinforced and wants to say more in a SVB manner. Consequences that reinforce learning are evident by increased opportunity to be in environments in which or to be with individuals with whom SVB can occur; d) “the participant must emit an accurate response following incorrect responses.” This is the ability to differentiate between SVB and NVB and to change one’s speaking behavior. Also, there is no guilt or shame involved in making an incorrect response. As there is no punitive correction the change from NVB to SVB is effortless and smooth. Moreover, the listener is helping the speaker, by letting the speaker know when the joining of speaking and listening occurs and the speaker adjusts to the listener. It is the listener who becomes the speaker who lets the  speaker know that joining occurs. Unless a speaker immediately produces SVB there is now way for him or her to know whether he or she is having SVB than by getting feedback from the listener, who then becomes the new speaker; e)” the corrected responses are not reinforced” by the listener as they are automatically reinforcing to the speaker. To learn SVB one is like a musician, who diligently practices his instrument; he or she practices because he or she loves the music and enjoys his or her own voice.