Definition
Mands are verbal acts that are reinforced by a specified consequence (Skinner 1957). This term was introduced by B. F. Skinner and refers to a specific type of verbal action within an operant conditioning framework designed to analyze the functions of verbal behavior. Mands are considered to be the first type of verbal behavior that individuals typically acquire (Sundberg and Michael 2001). As part of a verbal behavior training intervention, mands commonly take the form of requests for items, information, or removal of aversive stimuli (Sundberg and Michael 2001). For example, if an individual who wants a cookie says “Cookie, please” and is then given a cookie, the individual’s statement (i.e., “Cookie, please”) would be considered a mand.
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References and Reading
Skinner, B. F. (1957). Verbal behavior. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts.
Sundberg, M. L., & Michael, J. (2001). The benefits of Skinner’s analysis of verbal behavior for children with autism. Behavior Modification, 25, 698–724.
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Ray-Subramanian, C. (2017). Mands. In: Volkmar, F. (eds) Encyclopedia of Autism Spectrum Disorders. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6435-8_1676-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6435-8_1676-3
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