Verbal Behavior is a term coined by B.F. Skinner to describe a behavioral approach to the acquisition of language in individuals of typical development. It emphasizes that communication is a behavior that follows the same laws and principles as other forms of behavior.
Although Skinner did not discuss interventions to promote language development for children with autism spectrum disorder, many professionals have recently applied Skinner’s concepts to develop teaching procedures for these children and call their procedures “Verbal Behavior” or “Applied Verbal Behavior.”