Comparing Virtual Mand and Tact Training to Teach Foreign Language Vocabulary
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Authors
Klassen, Sadie Lynn
Issue Date
2025
Type
Thesis
Language
en_US
Keywords
Foreign Language Learning , Mand Training , Verbal Operant
Alternative Title
Abstract
Learning foreign languages through virtual or app-based instruction has become a common method in the modern world due to its accessibility and ease of use. While there are many aspects to learning a language, an important feature is vocabulary acquisition, which is a common target in virtual learning. In behavior analysis, the conceptualization of verbal operants can be applied to increase a learner’s ability to acquire novel vocabulary words. The current study implements a virtual training to teach learners mand and tact verbal operants. The trainings were evaluated based on their efficiency when looking at number of trials to reach mastery and effectiveness when assessing the number of emergent relations post-training. The tact training consisted of presenting an object to the participants on a computer and asking them to name the object in Mandarin Chinese, while the mand training consisted of an interrupted chains procedure where participants were required to virtually request access to an item that was being withheld from them to complete an activity on the screen. Overall, there were no significantly different results between the two training conditions. Both tact and mand training in all 12 participants produced a similar number of trials to mastery, as well as producing a high level of emergent mands, tacts, and intraverbals. The results from this study indicate that virtual foreign tact and virtual foreign mand training may both be successful ways to promote vocabulary acquisition in learners.