Investigating the Functional Independence of Mands and Tacts in Children with Intellectual Disabilities

Abstract

The functional independence of verbal operants was investigated by training both mands and tacts of highly preferred items to children with intellectual disabilities. The schedules of reinforcement for mands were then altered to see how it affects tacts. The schedules of reinforcement for tacts were also altered to see how it affects mands. Given that there is functional independence, when increasing the schedule of reinforcement for one verbal operant, i.e., mand or tact, it should not affect the accuracy of responding of the other verbal operant within the same session. In contrast, if there is functional interdependence, then it should affect the accuracy of responding of the other verbal operant within the same session. For one participant, he demonstrated evidence for functional independence. For the second participant, he demonstrated evidence for both functional independence and functional interdependence. For the third participant, she demonstrated evidence for functional independence. Across all three participants, the results may be explained by satiation. Due to the mixed results of this study, the value of investigating the functional independence of mands and tacts is challenged.