5.2 Irrelevant Features of Verbal Stimulus
Features that are irrelevant to the classification of a stimulus as verbal include its modality (such as auditory, visual, etc.), its dynamic characteristics (such as size, intensity, etc.), and its functions (such as discriminative, reinforcing, punishing, etc.).
Verbal Stimulus
A physical energy change capable of affecting an organism’s sensory receptors that has the following features:
It has a specific form or pattern which, as a unit, has controlling effectiveness
It is the result of verbal behavior
Modality: auditory, visual, etc.
Dynamic characteristics such as size, intensity, etc.
Function: discriminative, reinforcing, punishing, etc.
so first, how would visual be a part of verbal behavior at all and second, how is an auditory feature not part of it?
I’m also wondering the same.
Written words are visual verbal stimuli (usually). Written words also do not really have an auditory feature. Remember that “verbal” does not mean “vocal,” especially in the context of Skinner’s analysis and definitions. It might help to think of “verbal” as meaning more “language-based” or “language-related” or something like that.
This is very helpful! Thank you for your response.
You’re welcome! š