ABSTRACT
The most superficial inspection will show that verbal behavior is very often the vehicle, if not, indeed, the core, of abnormality. Verbal behavior, like other behavior, may be analyzed and manipulated in operant terms, B. F. kinner has pointed out that for many years he has been concerned with the classification and manipulation of verbal responses. A somewhat similar procedure had previously been used for the reinstatement of verbal behavior in mute adult psychotic patients by Isaacs, Thomas, and Goldiamond. K. alzinger and Pisoni then extended their work on the reinforcement of affective statements to the study of normal subjects, so as to afford a comparison with the performance of these psychotic patients. The greatest number was again found under conditions of reinforcement, the next greatest during extinction, and the least during the pre-reinforcement or operant level phase. Most affect statements were produced during the conditioning phase, the next greatest number during the operant level period.
