Before B.F. Skinner, psychologists and linguists were primarily interested in the form of language—its structures and systems, such as phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics—alongside Noam Chomsky’s Nativist Theory. Chomsky argued that children are born with an innate predisposition to acquire and develop language, and that humans are preprogrammed for linguistic growth. From this perspective, language emerges spontaneously once the child is exposed to it, independent of environmental influence.

However, behaviorists had a different view. They emphasized the critical role of the environment in language acquisition. Skinner, in particular, spent 15 years researching and experimenting before publishing his groundbreaking book Verbal Behavior in 1957. 

He argued that language is a learned behavior shaped by the environment, acquired through behavioral processes such as reinforcement, where desirable responses are repeated and strengthened.

Skinner defined language as a social interaction between the speaker and the listener. Thus, verbal behavior is any behavior that is reinforced through the mediation of another person. From this perspective, language can be analyzed into functional verbal units, also known as verbal operants:

• Mand (Request)
• Tact (Labeling)
• Intraverbal (Conversation/Answering questions)
• Echoic (Imitation or repetition)
• Listener Responding (Following instructions)

In this article, we focus on the mand. Other verbal operants will be discussed in future articles.

The Mand (Request)

Definition

The mand is the first form of verbal behavior to appear in a child’s life. From the moment of birth, the infant cries—demanding comfort, nourishment, or attention. Simply put, a mand is a request to obtain something that is desired at a specific time. Motivation plays a central role: deprivation or need increases the likelihood of mands.

For example, we request food when hungry, but once we are full, our motivation decreases and mands for food diminish. This makes the mand the earliest and most essential verbal behavior because it directly benefits the child. When a hungry child says “milk” and is given milk immediately, the behavior is reinforced, increasing the likelihood that the child will use that mand again in the future.

Importance of the Mand

As the first verbal behavior learned, the mand lays the foundation for the development of other verbal behaviors, including tacting, intraverbals, conversation, and even social and play skills.

Children who lack manding skills often resort to problem behaviors such as aggression, tantrums, or property destruction as alternative means of communication. This not only frustrates the child but also overwhelms parents, who are left guessing whether their child is hungry, thirsty, tired, or wants to play. Furthermore, the absence of manding impairs social interaction. For example, without mands, how can a child tell peers that he wants to join a game, ask them to pass the ball, or request a turn?

Thus, manding is crucial for a child’s development in all areas of life. For this reason, it is a central component of modern intervention programs, particularly those based on Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA).

Forms of the Mand

Mands do not need to be full sentences or polite expressions. In fact, these forms often serve the listener more than the speaker. A mand can take many forms:

• A gesture (pointing to an item)
• Eye gaze directed at a desired object
• Exchanging a picture for an item (as in PECS)
• A spoken word or phrase

The essential components are:

• Motivation (MO): the desire or need
• Behavior (mand): the verbal or nonverbal request
• Consequence: receiving the desired item or action

This makes the mand the strongest verbal operant, as it produces immediate and specific reinforcement.

That said, human behavior is more complex. Sometimes, we do not mand even when motivated due to environmental factors. Other times, multiple variables influence a single mand, and occasionally, we request items even without deprivation.

Types of Mands

1. Pure Mand
   • Controlled solely by motivation.
   • Example: a child says “I want ice cream” because they are hungry for it.
2. Impure Mand
   • Influenced by additional stimuli, such as prompts or questions.
   • Example: a child says “I want ice cream” after being asked “What do you want?”
   • Common in training situations, especially when a child struggles with spontaneous manding.
3. Mand for Information
   • A request directed toward another person to obtain information.
   • Typically begins with a question word: “What’s your name?” or “How did you open this box?”

Additional forms, such as “magical mands” or “superstitious mands,” are still under study, but for practical purposes, pure and impure mands are the most relevant in ABA-based programs.

For example, in the VB-MAPP curriculum, goals include:

• Requesting missing items needed for play (pure mand, e.g., “I want the ball”).
• Producing 10 different requests when prompted with “What do you want?” with items present (impure mand).

Teaching Strategies for Mands

Effective training often involves arranging the environment to create motivation for the child to mand:

1. Play with a ball, then stop suddenly to encourage the child to request continuation.
2. Provide a toy with an on/off switch but leave it turned off, prompting the child to request help.
3. Give food without providing a spoon, creating the need for the child to ask.
4. Offer a puzzle with a missing piece, requiring the child to request the piece.
5. Place desired items out of reach so the child requests assistance.
6. Put the child in a swing but do not push, encouraging them to ask for movement.

Remember: mands emerge when motivation exists, increase under conditions of deprivation, and decrease once needs are satisfied.