The Molar Multiscale View of Verbal Behavior

Verbal behavior has usually been analyzed in the molecular paradigm, which assumes that stimuli lead to momentary discrete verbal responses on which consequences are contiguous. In attempts to explain instances of verbal behavior in which not all of those three components are observable, the molecular framework relies on an introduction of hypothetical internal stimuli, responses, or reinforcers. Trying to abstract small discrete units like tacts and mands and to look for their immediate or delayed reinforcement often leads to implausible explanations. The talk will introduce the multiscale molar view, in which verbal operants are treated as temporally extended. Verbal activities are regarded as components of other (verbal) activities and consist of further smaller scale actions, all of which are parts of contingencies. The particular size of a unit of analysis is determined by the research question.