What is the Mand?

Within the field of behavior analysis many would argue that the mand is an essential component of language training. Now I know that many people who are not as familiar with the world of behavior analysis may be confused with some of the terminology that behavior analysts use when discussing programming for your child. I know that it can be somewhat frustrating hearing these terms and not fully understanding what they mean, so I wanted to give you a little bit of back ground on the term “mand” since I am sure that you have heard it a zillion times.

B.F. Skinner, the originator of the word mand (as well as of operant conditioning and many of the principles within Applied Behavior Analysis), assigned the word because the word is similar to that of command and/or demand. According to Skinner, the mand is maintained by a characteristic reinforcer and is evoked by the motivating operation of that reinforcer. In layman’s terms what that simply means is that you ask for things that you want when you want them or because you will want them some time in the future. Put another way; in order for someone to ask for something, the person must first want that something. If you think about what this signifies for a second you will see that it makes perfect sense; I mean, would you ever ask for anything that you did not want? Imagine asking someone for a pencil when you did not need to write anything or if you were not planning to write anything. In working with children/students with autism, a common example of a mand might be for a child to say “juice please” when asking for the juice that he/she wants to drink. The response of “juice please” is likely to be reinforced by someone providing the child with some juice. In addition, the child is likely to ask for this juice when he or she has not had something to drink not when the juice is unwanted.

So why do behavior analysis programs worry so much about teaching your child how to “mand”?Well, research demonstrates that mands are the first type of verbal behavior acquired by a human child. During infancy, these mands usually occur in the form of crying when a child is wet, hungry, tired, etc. Mands are very important to language learners. They allow an individual to control the delivery of reinforcers as well as to establish themselves within speaker and listener roles vital to further verbal development. Children who develop typically learn to replace crying with words/signs or other forms of communication. A common problem faced by many children diagnosed with autism or other developmental disabilities is that they are unable to mand for items (that is to say, they are unable to ask for what they want). For example, a child may want to ask for a specific toy, but if s/he does not have control of obtaining that toy the child may be unable to tell anyone what is desired. The child may engage in behavior such as pulling at the adult, crying, or inappropriate behavior. Consequently, many parents find themselves playing a guessing game by presenting several toys, objects, or actions in order to satisfy the child. Teaching the child to mand produces immediate benefit for the speaker because the child immediately gets what s/he wants. It teaches the child that the behavior is valuable and that s/he can obtain what is wanted by asking for it.

At the QSAC Preschool, we have been working consistently on having all of the children attending the program mand independently for what they want. We begin by giving all of our students the opportunity to develop or further their vocal abilities by conducting pairing procedures (having the child attempt to repeat or give an approximation of the name of the item while gaining access to the item). These procedures give the children the opportunity to make new sounds/words in order to communicate their desires. When we begin mand training, we begin by using the most potent reinforcers because the child has a history of wanting these items/activities. We teach mands when the motivation is greatest for the item/activity keeping in mind that reinforcers are subject to change moment to moment. If we are successful in building a vocal repertoire for our children, we continue using and increasing their vocal language. However, if by a certain time we do not see that they are not able to communicate vocally, we begin to have them gesture, communicate via PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System), or sign language in order to provide them with a practical way of communicating.