Verbal operants are categories of language defined by their function. The four most often taught are the mand, tact, echoic and intraverbal.
Example
A learner says “juice” to get juice (mand), says “dog” when seeing a dog (tact), repeats “ball” after hearing “ball” (echoic), and answers “Blue” when asked “What color is the sky?” (intraverbal).
Key points
- Mand: a request, driven by what the learner wants.
- Tact: labeling or commenting on something in the environment.
- Echoic: repeating what was said.
- Intraverbal: responding to another person’s words with words that are not a copy.
Exam tip
Ask what controls the response: wanting something (mand), seeing something (tact), hearing the same words (echoic), or hearing different words (intraverbal).
Common mistake
Mixing up the mand and the tact. A mand is a request driven by motivation; a tact is a label of something sensed.
Quick check
A child says “cookie” because she wants one. Which operant? Mand.
Keep studying
RBT glossary · Motivating operation · Discrete-trial teaching · Prompt fading · Flashcards · Study guide
Independent study resource, not affiliated with the BACB or Pearson VUE.