Question

What does Skinner mean when he says that analysis has, up to this point, reduced the role of the speaker as a causal agent determining his own verbal behavior?

a) The speaker's intentions play a significant role in verbal behavior
b) The speaker has no control over their verbal behavior
c) Verbal behavior is determined solely by external factors
d) The speaker's environment has no impact on their verbal behavior

Answer 1

Skinner posits that verbal behavior is primarily influenced by environmental factors and reinforcements, rather than by the speaker's intentions or intrinsic qualities.

Step-by-step explanation:

When Skinner refers to the role of the speaker as a causal agent in determining his own verbal behavior, and how analysis has 'reduced' this role, he means that traditional analyses have not adequately credited the impact of environmental contingencies on verbal behavior. This implies that verbal behavior is determined largely by the environment and the system of reinforcements and punishments contained within it, rather than by the speaker's own inherent traits or intentions. Therefore, the correct answer to the question is c) Verbal behavior is determined solely by external factors. Skinner's perspective is rooted in behaviorism, which emphasizes environmental rather than innate factors as determinants of behavior.

B.F. Skinner, a behaviorist, believed that the environment is solely responsible for all behavior, including verbal behavior. According to Skinner, the speaker's own intentions or thoughts do not play a significant role in determining their verbal behavior. Instead, verbal behavior is primarily shaped by external factors in the environment, such as the consequences or reinforcements that follow a particular verbal response.