A review of studies examining the nature of selection-based and topography-based verbal behavior.

Selection-based (SB) verbal behavior, in most general terms, consists of selecting stimuli from an array, which presumably has some effect on a listener. Topography-based (TB) verbal behavior consists of responses with unique topographies (e.g. speaking, signing, writing) which is also presumed to have some effect on a listener. This article reviews research examining the nature of these two types of verbal behavior. Overall, TB verbal behavior appears to be more easily acquired and may also function to mediate some SB verbal behavior.