Revisiting Topography-Based and Selection-Based Verbal Behavior.
Ditch the old topography labels—check grid size, picture realism, and how fast the child can build a message.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The authors looked at two old labels for AAC: topography-based (speech, signs) and selection-based (PECS, SGD).
They say these labels hide the real levers clinicians can pull. They list three: how easy it is to build a message, how big and varied the array is, and how much the symbol looks or sounds like natural speech.
Paper is conceptual—no new data—just a map for future tests.
What they found
The old labels don’t predict success. A child might fail one “selection” device yet thrive on another that has the same label.
The three modality variables predict learning better. For example, a 3×3 grid of photos is faster to scan than a 12×12 grid of cartoons.
How this fits with other research
Cariveau et al. (2022) tested the idea with a teen. They swapped reinforcer quality between two AAC apps. The kid always picked the app that gave better stuff, not the one that looked nicer. This extends the paper—function beat form.
Hartley et al. (2015) asked minimally verbal kids to find hidden toys using pictures. Color photos won over line drawings. Again, stimulus similarity (one of the three variables) drove success.
Fields et al. (2018) adds that meaningful pictures also speed up equivalence classes. Same theme: pick symbols that already talk to the learner.
Why it matters
Next time you trial an AAC device, stop asking “Is this topography or selection?” Instead ask: Can the child build units fast? Is the array small and clear? Do the icons look or sound like real words? Run a 5-minute micro-test: shrink the grid, swap in photos, and see if responses jump.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
In topography-based verbal behavior, different antecedent stimuli control different topographies of responding, whereas in selection-based verbal behavior, different antecedent stimuli control the selection of visually distinct stimuli from an array of options. In this article, we point out three variable characteristics of selection-based behavior, highlighted by recent technological developments, that affect its similarity to topography-based behavior: The extent to which stimuli can be constructed from minimal units, the size and composition of the selection array, and the similarity of response-produced stimuli to verbal stimuli that are prevalent in the speaker's verbal community. Although a distinction between topography-based and selection-based behavior has merit, particular characteristics of a selection-based verbal behavior modality may often be more relevant for researchers and clinicians to consider than its status as selection-based.
The Analysis of verbal behavior, 2023 · doi:10.1016/j.cognition.2014.11.020