undertactant
A term used in behavioral psychology and verbal behavior analysis to describe an individual who exhibits a deficit in 'tacting,' which is the ability to label or name stimuli in the environment. It refers to a speaker who provides significantly fewer verbal descriptions of non-verbal stimuli than expected for their developmental level.
Examples
3 of 5My younger brother is a bit of an undertactant; he just points at things instead of naming them.
My younger brother is a bit of an undertactant; he just points at things instead of naming them.
The clinical assessment identified the patient as a primary undertactant, requiring intensive verbal operant training.
The clinical assessment identified the patient as a primary undertactant, requiring intensive verbal operant training.
If he keeps being such an undertactant during the test, he might qualify for extra speech therapy.
If he keeps being such an undertactant during the test, he might qualify for extra speech therapy.
Word Family
Memory Tip
Think of 'Under' (below) + 'Tact' (Contact). An undertactant has 'below normal verbal contact' with the objects they see.
Quick Quiz
The speech therapist focused on increasing the student's labeling speed because he was currently considered an __________ in the classroom setting.
Correct!
The correct answer is: undertactant
Examples
My younger brother is a bit of an undertactant; he just points at things instead of naming them.
everydayMy younger brother is a bit of an undertactant; he just points at things instead of naming them.
The clinical assessment identified the patient as a primary undertactant, requiring intensive verbal operant training.
formalThe clinical assessment identified the patient as a primary undertactant, requiring intensive verbal operant training.
If he keeps being such an undertactant during the test, he might qualify for extra speech therapy.
informalIf he keeps being such an undertactant during the test, he might qualify for extra speech therapy.
Research indicates that an undertactant may possess the receptive vocabulary but lacks the expressive motivation to label environmental stimuli.
academicResearch indicates that an undertactant may possess the receptive vocabulary but lacks the expressive motivation to label environmental stimuli.
The educational consultant noted that the student was an undertactant, which hindered his participation in group discussions.
businessThe educational consultant noted that the student was an undertactant, which hindered his participation in group discussions.
Word Family
Common Collocations
Common Phrases
classify as an undertactant
classify as an undertactant
the undertactant profile
the undertactant profile
remediate an undertactant
remediate an undertactant
Often Confused With
A surfactant is a chemical substance that reduces surface tension, whereas an undertactant is a behavioral term for a person with a labeling deficit.
Usage Notes
This word is highly technical and specific to the field of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and speech pathology. It should only be used in clinical or academic contexts when discussing verbal operants.
Common Mistakes
Learners might confuse this with 'understated' or think it relates to 'tact' in the sense of social politeness; however, it strictly refers to the psychological term 'tact' (labeling).
Memory Tip
Think of 'Under' (below) + 'Tact' (Contact). An undertactant has 'below normal verbal contact' with the objects they see.
Word Origin
Derived from 'under-' (insufficient) + 'tact' (a term coined by B.F. Skinner in 1957 from the word 'contact') + '-ant' (one who performs).
Grammar Patterns
Quick Quiz
The speech therapist focused on increasing the student's labeling speed because he was currently considered an __________ in the classroom setting.
Correct!
The correct answer is: undertactant
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