Chapter 14 Imitation - Lecture notes Ch14 PDF

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Principles of Behavior by Malott (7th) Ch:14...

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Chapter 14: Imitation Imitation - the form of the behavior of the imitator is controlled by similar behavior of the model -

Means the behavior of the imitator is similar to the behavior of the model because of experience with a special reinforcement contingency

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Not enough for behavior of imitator to be similar to the behavior of the model because both the imitator and model could be behaving similarly because of control by the same contingency

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To be sure you have imitation, you must show that the behavior of the imitator is under stimulus control of behavior of model

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To train imitation, we need both a discrimination contingency and a differential reinforcement contingency

Physical Prompt - the trainer physically moves the trainee’s body in an approximation of the desired response Generalized Imitation - imitation of the response of a model without previous reinforcement of imitation of that specific response -

However, reinforcement of some other imitative responses must occur before the unreinforced imitative responses occur

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To maintain generalized imitation, we need both a discrimination contingency and a differential reinforcement contingency

Verbal Prompt - a supplemental verbal stimulus that raises the probability of a correct response Anticipation Procedure - hold picture for several seconds before giving verbal prompt -

Works because of differential reinforcement of answers with short latencies

Theory of Generalized Imitation - generalized imitative responses occur because they automatically produce imitative reinforcers Imitative Reinforcers - stimuli arising from the match between the behavior of the imitator and the behavior of the model that function as reinforcers -

If we pair a neutral stimulus (stimuli from imitation) with an original reinforcer (food & praise), logically that means that the absence of that stimulus is paired with the absence of that reinforcer

A child’s imitation of a parent’s vocal behavior can be maintained in 2 ways: 1. The imitative vocal response produces learned imitative reinforcers just as many other imitative behaviors in the past produced imitative reinforcers 2. The vocal imitative behavior may be reinforced by social or other reinforcers -

Where there is an absence of imitative reinforcers, there will be an absence of generalized imitation...