Research in Verbal Behavior and Some Neurophysiological Implications

Research in Verbal Behavior and Some Neurophysiological Implications focuses on varied approaches to the study of language, including verbal behavior in animals, mimicry, linguistics, and verbal satiation. The selection first offers information on verbal behavior in animals and dolphin's vocal mimicry as a unique ability and a way toward understanding. The book also ponders on the problem of response class in verbal behavior and verbal operant conditioning and awareness. Discussions focus on state of the organism as a determinant of response class, topography of response, common stimulus, and common effect.
The publication takes a look at a behavioral basis for the polarity principle in linguistics, acquisition of grammar by children, and interdependencies of the bilingual's two languages. The manuscript also elaborates on verbal satiation and exploration of meaning relations and grammatical indicants of speaking style in normal and aphasic speakers.
The selection is highly recommended for readers wanting to study verbal behavior.

Contents

List of Contributors

Foreword

Preface

Section I. Verbal Behavior: Facts and Theories

A. Verbal Behavior in Animals

Verbal Behavior and the Mynah Bird

Dolphin's Vocal Mimicry as a Unique Ability and a Step toward Understanding

B. Verbal Behavior as Operant Responses

The Problem of Response Class in Verbal Behavior

Verbal Operant Conditioning and Awareness

A Behavioral Basis for the Polarity Principle in Linguistics

C. Acquisition of Grammar and Meaning

Acquisition of Grammar by Children

The Interdependencies of the Bilingual's Two Languages

Emotions and Images in Language: A Learning Analysis of Their Acquisition and Function

D. Loss of Meaning and Grammar

The Study of Verbal or Semantic Satiation

Verbal Satiation and the Exploration of Meaning Relations

Grammatical Indicants of Speaking Style in Normal and Aphasic Speakers

Some Experimental Investigations of Language in Aphasia

E. The Place of Verbal Learning and Word Association in Current Studies of Language

Psycholinguistics and Verbal Learning

The Implications of Grammar for Word Associations

F. Psychophysical Experiments with Verbal Responses as Stimuli

Context and Other Determinants of Word Identification

Vocal Behavior as an Information Channel of Speaker Status

G. Temporal Aspects of Verbal Behavior

The Relationship between Temporal Aspects of Speech, the Structure of Language, and the State of the Speaker

A Stochastic Model of Speaker Switching in Natural Dialogue

Section II. Verbal Behavior as a Function of States of the Organism

Theory and Application of a Verbal Method of Measuring Transient Psychologic States

Group Discussion

Some Techniques for the Measurement of Changes in Verbal Communication

Close Analysis in the Evaluation of Central Determinants of Comprehensibility

Group Discussion

The Effects of Drugs on Speech: A Review

Effects of Drugs on Learning of Verbal Material

Vocal Measures and Drug Effects

Group Discussion

Section III. Neurophysiological Bases of Verbal Behavior

The Regulative Function of Speech in its Development and Dissolution

The Neural Basis of Language

Hypotheses Concerning the Functions of the Language Mechanism

Verbal Behavior: Some Points of Reference

Group Discussion

References

Author Index

Subject Index