Imitation
Also called: motor imitation, generalized imitation
Definition
A response that immediately follows a model's behavior, matches it in form, and is controlled by it — the model is the discriminative stimulus. Generalized imitation is the ability to copy new models without further training, and it is among the first skills targeted for many learners because so much later learning rides on it.
In plain language
Copying what someone just did, right away and in the same form. Being able to copy new things without practice is a key early skill.
Example
The technician claps twice and the learner claps twice.
Not imitation
A learner who watches a sibling get a cookie for asking politely and asks politely the next day. Nothing was copied in the moment; that is observational learning.
Commonly confused with
See also
Written from
- skinner-1953
Written from Skinner (1953) and the imitation-training literature. No textbook glossary consulted.
This entry has not yet been through clinical review. Treat it as a draft.