A Rose by Naming

In the science of verbal behavior, Naming is not simply learning a verbal “label” for aspects of the environment as the term is used by laypersons (naming with a small “n”), most children begin to label, or tact, at 10 to 18 months. However, Naming as a verbal developmental capability (a) doesn’t appear until approximately age 3, (b) involves the intercept of the initially independent listener and speaker capabilities, (c) is often missing in individuals with autism or language delays, and (d) weak Naming may be responsible for poor academic progress of typically developing children. This developmental milestone (identified by behavior analysts alone) makes it possible for children to acquire language without direct instruction, a human capability that is the cornerstone of some linguists’ argument that language is a given for humans and cannot be taught or learned directly. Naming also facilitates certain types of categorizations and is an independent variable in numerous categorization studies in the experimental analyses of behavior. The experimental identification of how to induce Naming identifies experiential processes whereby we learn most of our language. It is made possible by certain phylogenetic and ontogenetic histories within our species and within an individual’s life experiences. In the case of the species, cultural contingencies contributed to its evolution. In the case of individuals, certain experiences determine its development. I will describe research on Naming as a dependent variable and what we have learned about: (a) how to induce Naming when it is missing, (b) what are it’s prerequisites, (c) the different types, (d) how it leads to reading, writing, and “thinking”, (e) and how it is similar but different from other non-verbal emergent behavior (i.e., non-verbal stimulus equivalence).