Which operant is used when a person asks for something or to escape from an aversive condition?

Which operant is used when a person asks for something or to escape from an aversive condition?

• A. Tact
• B. Intraverbal
• C. Mand
• D. Echoic

Answer: (C)

The mand is the verbal operant used when someone asks for something or seeks to escape an aversive condition. It is controlled by a motivating operation (like hunger, thirst, or the desire to stop an unpleasant situation) and is reinforced specifically by the reinforcing item or the removal of the aversive stimulus. So when a person says “I want juice” or “Please stop this,” the behavior functions to obtain the juice or to escape the discomfort, and receiving that outcome strengthens the mand for future similar situations. In contrast, a tact is a label of an object or event, an intraverbal involves responding to someone else’s verbal cue in a conversational way, and an echoic is repeating sounds or words.

The mand is the verbal operant used when someone asks for something or seeks to escape an aversive condition. It is controlled by a motivating operation (like hunger, thirst, or the desire to stop an unpleasant situation) and is reinforced specifically by the reinforcing item or the removal of the aversive stimulus. So when a person says “I want juice” or “Please stop this,” the behavior functions to obtain the juice or to escape the discomfort, and receiving that outcome strengthens the mand for future similar situations. In contrast, a tact is a label of an object or event, an intraverbal involves responding to someone else’s verbal cue in a conversational way, and an echoic is repeating sounds or words.