Editing Verbal Behavior (section)

==Verbal operants as a unit of analysis==
Skinner notes his categories of verbal behavior: ''mand, textual, intraverbal, tact, audience relations'', and notes how behavior might be classified. He notes that form alone is not sufficient (he uses the example of "fire!" having multiple possible relationships depending on the circumstances). Classification depends on knowing the circumstances under which the behavior is emitted. Skinner then notes that the "same response" may be emitted under different operant conditions.<ref>Skinner's analysis of verbal behavior is not specifically a matter of "teaching children how to talk", however he does speculate on this on p. 189 in terms of mands and tacts acquisition by children. I note this because Skinner's ''Verbal Behavior'' is widely cited as a template for teaching children language skills although it does not appear to specifically be designed for this task.</ref> Skinner states:
{{quote|"Classification is not an end in itself. Even though any instance of verbal behavior can be shown to be a function of variables in one or more of these classes, there are other aspects to be treated. Such a formulation permits us to apply to verbal behavior concepts and laws which emerge from a more general analysis" (p. 187).<ref>Skinner, Burrhus Frederick (1957), ''Verbal Behavior'', Acton, MA: Copley Publishing Group, {{ISBN|1-58390-021-7}} p. 187</ref>}}

That is, classification alone does little to further the analysis—the functional relations controlling the operants outlined must be analyzed consistent with the general approach of a scientific analysis of behavior.