The Problem of Response Class in Verbal Behavior

Effects of differential reinforcement of choosing phrases about reading upon the duration of reading behavior

Revista Brasileira de Terapia Comportamental e Cognitiva ◽

10.31505/rbtcc.v9i2.245 ◽

1969 ◽

Vol 9 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Thais Cazati Faleiros ◽

Maria Martha Costa Hübner

Keyword(s):

Verbal Behavior ◽

Differential Reinforcement ◽

Response Class ◽

Reading Behavior ◽

Computer Screen ◽

Before And After

In the scope of studies that investigate the effects of manipulation in verbal antecedents upon the related non verbal behavior, the present study evaluated the effect of differential reinforcement of one response class (choice of phrases about positive aspects about reading, interpreted as tacts with positive qualifying autoclitics) upon other class (the choice of reading behavior), reinforcing choices of phrases about positive aspects of reading and observing its effects upon the emission of reading behavior. It were registered activities and photographs chosen before and after the training. During training, four phrases appeared in a computer screen and just the choice of one of them (related to reading) was reinforced with points. The results indicated an augment of the choices in reading behavior as well as in the time of reading for the majority of the participants and an augment of the choices of choosing photographs related to reading, when compared to the results of the baseline. The results are interpreted according to behavior verbally governed.

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Changed Content within a Reinforced Response Class

Psychological Reports ◽

10.2466/pr0.1963.12.3.819 ◽

1963 ◽

Vol 12 (3) ◽

pp. 819-829 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Leonard P. Ullmann ◽

Leonard Krasner ◽

Donna M. Gelfand

Keyword(s):

Verbal Behavior ◽

Personality Test ◽

Response Class ◽

Additional Measure ◽

Emotional Words

Reinforcement and other experimental manipulations may influence the content as well as the frequency of verbal behavior. Evidence was presented from five studies ( N = 283) in which emotional words, EW, were reinforced in TAT-like situations. EW used during reinforced trials were pleasanter than those used during operant trials; differential experimental manipulations led to differential pleasantness of EW; pleasantness of EW used during operant trials was significantly associated with personality test measures, particularly anxiety and hostility. The results bear on the role of reinforcement in social influencing situations and provide an additional measure of the effect of reinforcement.

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Determining Emotional Tone and Verbal Behavior in Patients With Tinnitus and Hyperacusis: An Exploratory Mixed-Methods Study

American Journal of Audiology ◽

10.1044/2019_aja-18-0136 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 28 (3) ◽

pp. 660-672

Author(s):

Suzanne H. Kimball ◽

Toby Hamilton ◽

Erin Benear ◽

Jonathan Baldwin

Keyword(s):

Mixed Methods ◽

Verbal Behavior ◽

Coping Strategies ◽

Mixed Methods Study ◽

Self Report ◽

Anxiety And Depression ◽

Negative Consequences ◽

Emotional Tone ◽

Explanatory Mixed Methods ◽

Quantitative Results

Purpose The purpose of this study was to evaluate the emotional tone and verbal behavior of social media users who self-identified as having tinnitus and/or hyperacusis that caused self-described negative consequences on daily life or health. Research Design and Method An explanatory mixed-methods design was utilized. Two hundred “initial” and 200 “reply” Facebook posts were collected from members of a tinnitus group and a hyperacusis group. Data were analyzed via the LIWC 2015 software program and compared to typical bloggers. As this was an explanatory mixed-methods study, we used qualitative thematic analyses to explain, interpret, and illustrate the quantitative results. Results Overall, quantitative results indicated lower overall emotional tone for all categories (tinnitus and hyperacusis, initial and reply), which was mostly influenced by higher negative emotion. Higher levels of authenticity or truth were found in the hyperacusis sample but not in the tinnitus sample. Lower levels of clout (social standing) were indicated in all groups, and a lower level of analytical thinking style (concepts and complex categories rather than narratives) was found in the hyperacusis sample. Additional analysis of the language indicated higher levels of sadness and anxiety in all groups and lower levels of anger, particularly for initial replies. These data support prior findings indicating higher levels of anxiety and depression in this patient population based on the actual words in blog posts and not from self-report questionnaires. Qualitative results identified 3 major themes from both the tinnitus and hyperacusis texts: suffering, negative emotional tone, and coping strategies. Conclusions Results from this study suggest support for the predominant clinical view that patients with tinnitus and hyperacusis have higher levels of anxiety and depression than the general population. The extent of the suffering described and patterns of coping strategies suggest clinical practice patterns and the need for research in implementing improved practice plans.

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