When I call your name, answer “Present” is a mand comparable to Say “Present”, except that the listener withholds the response until the condition in the When clause is satisfied. This cannot occur until such clauses have become effective in the verbal behavior of the listener, as the result of a long and difficult process. The process is not obscure. We understand how a child, as a member of a group, comes to respond to a mand only when it is coupled with his name. (p. 361)
Verbal Behavior: Extended Edition. Chapter 14: Composition and Its Effects. Quote 23
- Post author:B. F. Skinner Foundation
- Post published:November 4, 2025
- Post category:Skinner's Quote of the Day
