FA Design

Case 1 13 year old male Engages in severe self injury to the head with fists – Onset at age 6 Had arm splint on to prevent self injury No vocal communication No established manding repertoire of any type Wears dippers

Case 2 5 year old boy Blind and deaf – Cochlear implants supported very limited hearing at dBHL Self injury in the form of bunging head on hard surface Had to wear helmet No vocal communication No established manding repertoire of any type Had arm splint on to prevent self injury No vocal communication No established manding repertoire of any type Wears dippers

Autoclitics

“I said, I want iPad” The function of the verbal behavior is conditional on the verbal behavior

Primary and Secondary Verbal Behavior Primary VB –Mand –Tact –Echoic –Intraverbal –Textual –Transcriptive Secondary VB – Autoclitic relations “verbal behavior which are based upon, or dependent upon on other verbal behavior” (Skinner, 1957, p. 315) "verbal behavior about other verbal behavior" (Peterson, 1978, p. 164).

Autoclitic Relations The reinforcement for the speaker who uses an autoclitic VB –Sharpens the effect of the primary verbal operant upon the listener's behavior. Autoclitic behavior increases the probability that the listener will reinforce the speaker’s behavior –“I said,….” “I want ipad”

Autoclitic Relations Skinner described five major categories of Autoclitic Relations: – Descriptive – Qualifying – Quantifying – Manipulative – Relational

Controlling Variables Descriptive –The context in which a primary verbal behavior is emitted “I just saw John leaving he building” “I was told that FA was not needed” “According to my supervisor, the function is ……” –The condition of the speaker “I am happy to say that …….” “I am disappointed to hear that …..” Qualifying –Motivating Operation (MO) to modify the listener's behavior Negation using “not” – Clinet tacts red in the presence of an orange card » BI says "This is not red,“ Assertion using “is” (e.g. This is red” or “it is raining”) Tact extension – “it looks like a bear” or “it is like a car”

Controlling Variables Quantifying –Controlled by MO –quantify a primary verbal operant in order to sharpen meaning for the listener all, the, a –“Give me all of the blocks” –“Give me a block” –“Give me the truck” Manipulative –Controlled by MO –Function is to have the listener to respond to the speaker’s primary verbal operant in a certain way “I told you to sit down” “I said, I want ipad” “Do not take what I am about to say personally …….

Controlling Variables Relational –MO for a mand and the listener to respond to relationships among primary verbal operants Child’s name Running Under, over, next to ….

Autoclitics Simplified Peterson 1978 Dependent of source of control, suggested that secondary verbal behavior be identified –Autoclitic tacts Controlled by the presence of non-verbal stimuli Tacting the controlling variables of speaker’s own verbal behavior –Skinner’s Descriptive and Qualifying Autoclitics –Autoclitic mands Controlled by MO The speaker’s VB is reinforced if the listener were to alter his or her reaction to the primary verbal response. –Skinner’s Quantifying and Manipulative Autoclitics

Autoclitics Simplified Peterson 1978 Autoclitic tacts “I just saw John leaving he building” “I was told that FA was not needed” “According to my supervisor, the function is ……” “I am happy to say that …….” “I am disappointed to hear that …..” BI says "This is not red,“ This is red” or “it is raining” “it is looks like a bear” or “it is like a car”

Example from chapters on Autoclitics in Verbal Behavior (Skinner, 1957) I agree, I confess, I expect, I concede, I infer, I predict, I dare say, I must say, I can say, I admit, I reply, I should say, and I mean to say” (Skinner, 1957) “There are no black scorpions falling on this table” – qualifying autoclitic of negation

Controlling Variables Autoclitic Mands –all, the, a –“Give me all of the blocks” –“Give me a block” –“Give me the truck” –Function is to have the listener to respond to the speaker’s primary verbal operant in a certain way “I told you to sit down” “I said, I want ipad” “Do not take what I am about to say personally…” I need to know if you are going to complete the job

When to introduce Autoclitics “ It is only when verbal operants of the sort discussed in Part II (i.e., the elementary verbal operants) have been established in strength that the speaker finds himself subject to the additional contingencies which establish autoclitic behavior” (p. 330). Autoclitic training should be introduced after teaching the primary verbal operants Advanced language training