Which term refers to the imitation of a model's behavior?

Which term refers to the imitation of a model's behavior?

• A. IMITATION
• B. MAINTENANCE
• C. SHAPING
• D. SPONTANEOUS RECOVERY

Answer: (A)

Imitation is the action of copying a model's behavior after observing it. In ABA, imitation is a fundamental way learners acquire new behaviors by reproducing what another person demonstrates, often reinforced to strengthen the imitative response. The other terms describe different ideas: maintenance is about continuing a behavior over time after reinforcement ends, shaping involves reinforcing successive approximations to a target behavior, and spontaneous recovery is the return of a previously extinguished behavior after a period without exposure. So the term that refers to copying a model’s behavior is imitation.

Imitation is the action of copying a model's behavior after observing it. In ABA, imitation is a fundamental way learners acquire new behaviors by reproducing what another person demonstrates, often reinforced to strengthen the imitative response. The other terms describe different ideas: maintenance is about continuing a behavior over time after reinforcement ends, shaping involves reinforcing successive approximations to a target behavior, and spontaneous recovery is the return of a previously extinguished behavior after a period without exposure. So the term that refers to copying a model’s behavior is imitation.