The autoclitic is among the least studied and most complex verbal operant named and described by Skinner. The descriptive autoclitic is one subtype, which among other functions can describe the strength of the response. If the clarity of the stimulus is one source of response strength for tacts, manipulating stimulus clarity should evoke different…

Research supported by U.S. Office of Education contract OE-6-8934.

The theoretical functions of external feedback in SR and closed loop models of verbal learning are presented. Contradictory predictions from the models are tested with a three by three factorial experiment including three types of feedback and three amounts of rehearsal. There were 90 adult students run individually and they were required to learn…

FIVE STUDIES ARE REPORTED OF OPERANT CONDITIONING AND LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT PRINCIPLES IN READING. THE FIRST STUDY OUTLINED THE RATIONALE AND PRINCIPLES UNDERLYING THE PROJECT. THE SECOND STUDY INITIATED AND REFINED APPLICATIONS OF REINFORCEMENT PROCEDURES FOR STUDYING EFFECTS OF DISCRIMINATION TRAINING ON READING. STUDY NUMBER THREE DEMONSTRATED…

This article reviews the basics of learning channels and how specification of stimuli can help enhance verbal behavior. This article will define learning channels and the role of the ability matrix in training verbal behavior.

Implications of the behaviorist and cognitive theories in language instruction are discussed in this article. Some contributions of Skinner, Politzer, Valette, Morton, Lane, and Mueller and Niedzielski clarify the behaviorists' view of language as a myriad of conditioned responses. In turn, the cognitive viewpoint, seen as the acquisiton and…