Introductory Concepts
Elementary Relationships
Extensions of Verbal Behavior
Multiple Controlling Relationships
Building on the Elementary Relationships
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10.3 Formal Control Example #1

A tendency to say what you have just heard illustrates formal control. For example, someone says, “say alligator” and you then say “alligator.”

Formal Control

When a controlling variable evokes a response and has the following features:

There is point-to-point correspondence between the controlling variable and the response

Whether or not there is formal similarity between the controlling variable and the response

Formal characteristics of either the controlling variable or the response

Dynamic characteristics of either the controlling variable or the response

A cartoon of a man mimicking an alligator.
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