Verbal behavior and affect : a Skinnerian analysis

The present study examined the relationship between affect and verbal behavior using a Skinnerian functional analysis. The relationship between verbal behavior and induced anger, depression, happiness and a neutral condition was examined. The subjects were three college students. The results indicated that under a depressed condition, subjects tended to use mands, type B autoclitics and negatives as they responded to four stimulus cards selected from the Thematic Apperception Test. The results were interpreted in terms of the function and controlling variables of verbal operants.